Cost of the Crown
by BlackLadyCharon
Summary: Collaboration with The Fighting Irishman, set in his Trodaire universe: The flower that blooms in adversity is one of the most beautiful, but how it is tended to afterwards determines whether it will grow strong and set its roots deep, or be blighted. One of the Champions of Kalos comes into Trodaire's life seeking to better himself, and learns how to stand strong.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: A collaboration with The Fighting Irishman based in his Trodaire universe. Before someone complains at me that Calme/Calem is misnamed, I know what the 'default' name is, but have chosen to use a different one. This is partly to divide the character when he is the MC from the character when he is the NPC, partly to help give him his own individuality. As always, flames will amuse me and remind me that some people really are cannon Nazis. If you enjoy Trodaire and Sabrina in this, a link to The Fighting Irishman can be found in my liked authors.

Disclaimer: If I owned it, things would be pretty similar to now, but I don't own it so suing me is pointless.

Cost of the Crown

**Nagi**

The morning was bright, sunlight turning the leaves a translucent green as a young teen set his feet on the path out of Vermillion to Saffron, having arrived via the SS Anne the previous night. He looked average, though dark skinned for the Kanto region, black hair falling down into brown eyes that seemed a little too jumpy. His white spattered black shirt and jeans were rumpled as if he'd slept in them, and his boots were scuffed and worn from the long paths any young trainer walked. His hat had the Pokemon league logo on it and a bright red feather, and if his hands strayed to his Pokeballs a little too often and he turned at small noises there was no one outside to notice. The guard at the gates of Saffron waved the youth through after a few suspicious looks, and the boy looked around at the bustle and hustle of Saffron City.

"Like Luminose…" He murmured under his breath, fingers twitching at the memories that city brought up. Good ones, yes, but also so many bad ones. He'd come there after his first gym win, still enjoying what seemed to be an innocent journey. He'd met Professor Sycamore, gained another partner for a brief time on his journey. Serena and he had chocolate in that silly little café and pretended they were drinking coffee because that was more grown up. He'd met Diantha there, and Lysandre. His mind shied away from thoughts of Lysandre, and of his fate. He touched his Pokeballs one at a time, assuring himself that his Pokemon were still at his side.

"Amber, Izanagi, Tempest, Robina, Google, Garden." Names for each of them, to remind him of who they were, not what they were. Some might be content to call them only by their species, to say that they knew their Charmander from a thousand's thousand of others, but he had named them from the moment he'd first known them. It reinforced that they were his friends, his partners, the ones he protected and who in turn protected him. Arceus help any thief foolish enough to steal them, because he would not show pity. He shook himself out of his mood, striding forward. The words of the hiker named Calem ringing in his head.

'_Yer headed teh Kanto, Li'l Stag? Yer'd best look up The Fight Club in Saffron when ya get there. Trodaire'll whip yeh and yer Pokes inta the best shape of yer lives. Ifen yer gonna pull off what them hoity-toity's want of ya, yeh'll need to be in it. Tell 'im Calem sent ya, and thanks him fer teachin' Waler them moves._' Words he had taken to heart. Diantha had asked him to go in her place, as one of the children holding the Honor of Kalos, as one of the Champions of the Kalos league, and as a Master who battled with an almost unknown outside of Kalos type and with the Mega Ring. What it meant was that she didn't feel confident enough in herself and that she thought a change of scenery would do him some good. Maybe it would. Maybe being far, far away from Kalos would make him stop dreaming of Route ten and of Geosenge Town every few nights. It was worth a try, anything was at this point.

Hours later, he was reminded of why he hated Luminose City and now hated Saffron almost as much. Too big, too strange, too many people going too many places. At least Luminose had Gogoats that could get him where he was going. Saffron lacked that convenience. He was tired and more than a little frustrated by it all. When he'd tried to ask people where to find The Fight Club many of them had brushed him off saying they were busy. Either people in Kanto had a lot poorer manners towards young Pokemon trainers then those in Kalos did, or his looks were weighing against him. Kanto didn't have many darker skinned people, that was more Orre and Unova and his somewhat missed Kalos. Here, his dusky skin and wider eyes were unusual, exotic, foreign, and foreign in general was something all leagues distrusted equally. And wasn't he here to kick the beedrill's nest at the acting Kalos Champion's request? Kanto and Johto trumpeted about the Dragon Masters, about the power of the almost legendary type. How only Ice and their own kind were really effective on them and Ice was so fragile it was funny to watch them burn trying. In Kalos, they had long since learned that powerful as Dragons were, there were things that could stop them far easier than their own kind or Ice types. He was here to shatter their illusions, to show them what Kalos had kept hidden and protected over the decades and centuries. He was meant to be the death knell of the legend that Dragons were almost invincible, that it took patience and luck and hard training and planning to beat them. They were right to mistrust him in that. But all he really wanted at that moment was directions to the stupid training gym. Without much hope, he approached an older man whose face reminded him vaguely of a Froakie's and the Conkledurr next to him, speaking softly.

"Erm, please sir my name is Nagi, I'm new and a little lost here. Would you happen to have directions to The Fight Club? A Hiker named Calem told me it would be a good place to try and train myself and my Pokemon." His voice was soft, a breath of a musical accent to it, and not yet broken from childish treble to adult tones. He didn't hold much hope that the man would even tell him where to go, but the Conkledurr looked well trained and wise. Perhaps he might have a chance of finding his way there before dinner time after all.

Froakie-face stared at him pensively, his eyes squinting slightly.

"Eh? The Fight Club, yeh say?" He asked.

Nagi tried not to groan at the fact that the first person that appeared even vaguely helpful also appeared to be somewhat senile, and instead kept his cool.

"Yes, the Fight Club. You know it, right?" He asked. Now Froakie-face was positively beaming, and immediately rushed forward and grabbed Nagi's hand and rapidly began shaking it.

"I sure does, kiddo! I work dere!" He said. Nagi couldn't believe his stroke of good luck, and now was slightly ashamed that he had earlier doubted this man's mental competence. "Call me Paulie, everybody does." The older gentleman said. "'Course, most locals jes' call me good ol' Paul, but I's suspectin' you wanna keep 'er simple, yeah?" He asked.

Nagi tried to ignore the fact that his accent was rendering him near-incomprehensible, so he just smiled and nodded and hoped that was the right thing to do. And he was right.

"Swell! Jus' follow me an' Conks here. As a matter of fact, we's headin' back dere anyways!" He gestured to the box that the Conkeldurr was carrying. "As a matter of fact, dat box dere is fulla donuts, cuz today's Friday and every Friday is donut day at the Fight Club!"

Conkeldurr grunted.

"Ok, ok, it's mostly jes' for me, but it's still a day the same!" Paulie was now approaching near-impossible speeds for the way he waddled as he walked, and for a moment it was hard for Nagi to keep up. But keep up he did, and before long they turned a corner of the street and there was the blasted place he was looking for.

It was a lot different than he'd expected. Whereas he had been expecting a building that would look somewhat ornate and traditional, this place sorta looked like a plain old boxing gym. It was square on the outside, and painted in depressing bland colors. But then again, beige was probably a better choice than you'll never take me alive copper. But then Nagi walked inside, and he saw where all of the money was being put. There was a beautiful boxing ring in the middle of the gym, currently unoccupied. There were a bunch of hung heavy bags to the right, and in the center there was an open space no doubt reserved for cardio exercises. Nagi's stomach instinctively protested at the thought of that. Yet despite this, Nagi saw no sign of the mysterious Trodaire.

THWOCK. THWOCK-THWOCK. THWOCK.

He heard that, though. Letting his curiosity take the best of him, Nagi followed the source of the noise to the back corner of the gym, and was blown away by what he saw. It was one of those old-fashioned wooden dummies he'd seen in video clips of old-school martial artists, but those were pudgy old guys in what looked like overblown ponchos. The person hitting this dummy was a woman, and a strikingly gorgeous one at that. She was fluid like water hitting that thing, and for a moment there was silence save for her drill. Then, she finished with a snap kick to the base of the dummy, and without turning around spoke up.

"Who did you bring with you, Paulie?" She asked. Paulie blinked.

"Eh? Oh! Jes' some kid lookin' for the Fight Club and…" he trailed off, and looked at Nagi apologetically. "Sorry kiddo. I forgot ta ask why yer here!" Nagi shrugged, still kind of in a daze from the display, and spoke back.

"I'm looking for Trodaire." He said.

"And if you'd just turn around, you'll find him." Came another voice. Nagi turned to the source, and there he was.

Trodaire didn't look like what he expected. He had expected a meathead, someone whose muscles bulged like a Machamp. This guy was kind of wiry, built more like a runner than a power lifter. He was wearing a black hoodie and sweatpants. His complexion was pretty dark, and Nagi felt relief that not everyone in this city was whiter than snow. But it was the hair and tribal tattoos that caught his attention. Judging from the ornate display that criss-crossed the side of his face, it was clear that he was Orrean. And his hair had been shaved into a short Mohawk. He looked positively terrifying, the way his stone-cold eyes were eying Nagi up like a predator stalking its prey.

At least, he was until the mystique was shattered by a groan in the background.

"Ugh. Trodaire, I asked you to get a hair cut, not a Mohawk!" The woman hissed, putting a violet sweatshirt over her black tank-top.

Trodaire sweat-dropped.

"Aw, come on Sabrina. It's part of my heritage! People in my tribe cut their hair in all sorts of crazy manners! You'd be surprised how nutty it could get. This is positively tame." He shook his head and looked back at Nagi. "Ignore her. She's always a little amped up after beating the snot out of a wooden dummy."

"I _heard_ that, dust rat!" Sabrina said, but there was a trace of playfulness in her tone like she wasn't really bothered by the line. Trodaire rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, what are you here for?" He asked.

Nagi drew in a slow, calming breath, knowing that Trodaire didn't mean to come off as intimidating. There were some people who just did so no matter what. Sabrina watched him, noting the slight jumpiness and the breath of psychic talent from the boy. Not enough to limit him to being exclusively a Psychic type user, but enough that most Psychic Pokemon would take notice. It felt raw, untrained, probably just an intuitive gift for bending luck his way or knowing when he should back away and not expose his back to a person or Pokemon. Still, it was there, and she could feel at least two Psychics in the balls he carried. Nagi pushed his cap up a little, feeling the Mega Ring bounce against his wrist.

"I'm sorry for my impoliteness, my name's Nagi. A hiker named Calem suggested your place when I met him in Kalos. He said to thank you for teaching Whaler, and that you might be able to help me and my Pokemon get in better shape." Nagi managed not to flinch from the assessing looks he was being given. "We're here at the acting Champion of Kalos' request for a tournament, and none of us are too sure we can put up even a decent show, since we're all so young." Trodaire looked him up and down.

'_Kid's jumpier than a Buneary in a Shinx's den. Can't be more than fourteen, but genius knows no age. Still, that level of jumpiness ain't normal._' Trodaire raised an eyebrow, deciding to at least see Nagi's team before he made any decisions.

"Well, let's see them. I can't tell you much if I don't." Nagi felt a little bit of relief, his nerves becoming a bit more plain, even Paulie noticed.

"Eh Kid, Troddie ain't gonna do nothings to yer Pokes that yer don't sign up for! He just needs ta see 'em to decide how to help 'em if he can!" Nagi nodded a little, embarrassment flushing his face at being caught in his nerves. Tierno and Trevor never seemed to, but they could just be being polite and ignoring them for his sake. Shauna wouldn't notice if he took a Timburr's two by four to her head. Serena, well Serena had her own problems, most of them identical to Nagi's but the two of them had rapidly discovered that shared bad experiences did not equal helpful. Nagi carefully eyed the room for the largest clear space, then released his Pokemon.

"Phox?" The first questioner was bipedal, her face and fur coloring similar to a Ninetails only more yellowish and with large reddish tufts coming out of her ears. Her arms were covered in reddish fur like sleeves, with black hands coming out of them. In one of them she grasped a stick, the tip of it blazing but never being consumed. Her chest fur was yellow with a streak of white across her stomach, and her hip and leg fur was reddish with orangish markings, bushed out in a way that resembled a kimono or robe, ending at her black paws. She eyed Trodaire with an assessing look before craning her head around to see what was going on in her environment. "Delphox?"

"Goo?" The next party member Trodaire could look into her eyes and almost see the back of her skull. She was obviously not the brightest Pokemon in existence, but she practically radiated a 'HI! Let's be friends!' vibe. She was white with a purple underbelly and some green spots, a bipedal again creature with curving horns as well as two little stubs on her forehead. She frowned, clearly not liking the drier environment she found herself in, little drips of goo plopping on the floor. Nagi made an apologetic face, mentally planning on cleaning up after her. "Goodra?" The Pokemon whined, looking anxious on spotting Trodaire.

"Ty?" The grunt made Trodaire look up. Whereas the first two were about human sized, the third member dwarfed the other five. Large, bipedal with rocky brown skin and strong back legs and tail, push ups would clearly be this Pokemon's bane given the huge jaw and the teeny tiny forearms it sported. It had a grey and white underbelly, some yellow scales distributed across its body and framing its eyes, and a huge ruff of white spikes around its neck. Trodaire wasn't even sure if it was a male or a female of its species, just that it was big, and eyeing him with a disdainful look. "Tyrantrum?" Trodaire as well as Sabrina and Paulie hoped that the name was not indicative of the species nature, but given the look it was giving it probably was.

"Sylveon." At least until the fourth member spoke and it cowered. Here Trodaire felt at least on somewhat familiar ground since the speaker was an Eeveelution plain as day, but not one he'd ever seen before. Light pink body with a darker pink back, tail, and boots, the Pokemon also had feelers in the shape of bows with ribbons that had some blue at their tips at his left ear and at his neck. The insides of his ears were blue as well, and most people would look at him and assume that he either belonged to a girl or a gay man, was Normal type, and was weaker than all get out. The large blue eyes gave lie to some of that theory, confident and with a 'please underestimate me, I will enjoy handing your pride to you when I'm done stomping on it' look to them. Trodaire wasn't too sure the Pokemon was Normal type either. Maybe Flying or Ground, unless it was a type no one had seen before. Strong though, if he could cow a Pokemon several times his size. The young Eeveelution yawned in a skull cracking way and flopped on the floor, clearly not interested in expending excess energy.

A chirp turned Trodaire to the last two of the lot. Gardevoir was a familiar species amongst the chaos of new ones, though it was clear this one would probably have been a Gallade but for her gender. She was as sturdily built as her kind's frame would allow, and the look on her face suggested she was far more content with trying to hit things than with blasting them with Psychic power. She wore an odd stone caged in a filigree ball on a slender chain around her neck, and was playing with the crest feathers of the final Pokemon. A large, cranky looking bird shifted from taloned foot to foot. It was primarily red and gray, with black tips on its wings and gold stripes through its black tail. It clicked its black beak and chirped again, hopping forward to look at Trodaire and Paulie to see if they were interesting. Nagi sighed, looking at them all.

"I'm sorry, I'll clean up after them, I forgot Google tends to leave a mess behind her." The dense looking one smiled at the name. "This is Amber, a Delphox. Google is a Goodra, Tempest there is a Tyrantrum, Izanagi is the Sylveon down there, he's also the only guy. Garden is the Gardevoir, and Robina is the Talonflame over there. Like I said, we're all fairly young and while we're good, we all know we could be better." He reached out to pet Izanagi to calm himself. "Um, do you need to know their typings?"

"That would be helpful, yes." Trodaire said with a small smile. Nagi knew that the guy was teasing him slightly, but didn't let that rattle him. So, clearing his throat, the young Kalos native began.

"Well, Amber is a dual Fire/Psychic type." He began. He noticed that Sabrina took interest in that, and Nagi ventured a guess that she was a Psychic trainer herself. "Tempest is dual Dragon-Rock." The large beast grumbled in agreement, and once again Trodaire prayed that its name was not indicative of its nature. Nagi walked over to the slightly amorphous Goodra. "Google here is a Dragon." At this, Nagi noticed Trodaire's eyes widen.

"No shit, that's a Dragon?" He asked. Nagi narrowed his eyes, slightly offended.

"Why, doesn't she look like one?" He asked. Trodaire walked up to the creature and stared it straight in the eye.

"No, no, she does. It's just…she looks so huggable." Trodaire finished lamely. Without turning around, he addressed the snickering coming from Paulie. "Say a word and I'm knocking your old face in, Paulie."

Google seemed pretty pleased at Trodaire's compliment, and let out a happy "Gooo!" Deciding to move on, Nagi pointed to the serious-looking bird. "Robina is a dual Fire-Flying type." Trodaire nodded.

"She's got the hot-headed look of a Fire type. And I know that Gardevoir is Psychic, right?" He said. Nagi shrugged.

"Sort of." He said. Trodaire raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, 'sort of?'" He asked. Nagi sighed.

"That's what I was getting to Izanagi for." Nagi said. "He's a Fairy type, and Gardevoir is part-Fairy."

There was a pause. Trodaire shrugged helplessly.

"Sorry, I've never heard of them before." He said.

"I have." Sabrina said. Everyone turned towards her. "Though admittedly, I thought that they were just a legend from a really long time ago." Nagi felt his chest puff out with pride.

"Well, they're not, and they are the secret that Kalos has been keeping for a very long time." He said.

Well, one of the secrets, anyway.

"Fair enough." Trodaire said. "I, uh, don't really know the type match-ups that Fairies go against…but frankly, that sort of thing doesn't matter here." He said. Nagi raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" He asked. Trodaire smiled.

"Did you watch the last World Tournament?" He asked. Nagi nodded.

"Well, sort of. The TV reception was really bad, so my mom and I were listening to it on the radio." Nagi smiled. "Chip Skarmory nearly had a heart attack on the air, it sounded like."

"Precisely. Because Steven Stone beat Lance when type match-ups weren't necessarily in his favor." Trodaire said. "And I trained him how to win like that." He gestured to the gym around them. "I'm not a champion, Nagi. Hell, I don't even have a Pokemon of my own. But I train champions. And trust me, by the time we're done here your team is going to be eating lightning and crapping thunder."

"Why do you keep using that line?" Sabrina moaned.

"It's a great movie, shut up." Trodaire said without turning around. "But that begs the question: what is your real goal?"

"Sorry?" Nagi asked.

"Your goal. Nobody comes in here just 'looking to get strong.' Naw, you have a purpose to being here. You have to. You might not know it yet, but you'll realize it while we're at it, and before long you'll be able to tell me in a single sentence why it is that you're in my gym." He smiled, and cracked his knuckles. "For now, we're gonna settle with the first thing that I do to every trainer's team that comes into my gym…conditioning." Nagi noticed Sabrina and Paulie shudder at this.

"What does that comprise, exactly?" Nagi asked. Trodaire's grin was positively devious.

"Oh, you'll see." He said. He brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled sharply. "Boys! Got some work for you to do!"

There was a commotion in the back, and before long a few Pokemon had come rumbling out of the back weight room. Nagi recognized them from pictures. A Sawk, a Throh, and a Machamp?

Uh oh.

"Nagi, these here are three Pokemon whom I've become acquainted with courtesy of their master. That would be Kanto Elite Four member Bruno, by the way. They aren't my Pokemon, but they are my assistants. And they are going to be judging your team." He said.

"In what regard?" Nagi asked. Trodaire smiled wider, if that were possible.

"I'm getting to that." He turned to the six Pokemon before him.

"Listen and listen good." He began. "Here at the Fight Club, we do things a little bit differently than anything you've ever done before. There isn't any light sparring or silly practicing of moves against a willing partner that you might see in other League-sanctioned gyms. My gym is hardcore, and as such the things that I will put you through are decidedly hardcore. Let me make myself clear: you will hate it. You might even hate me. At first. Because if you stick to this program that I am putting together for you, I promise to you on my soul as an Orrean that you will be the baddest group of fighters the world has ever seen. You will be dominant. You will be powerful. You will be legendary. And above all, you will be brothers and sisters forged in the fires of training from hell. Because make no mistake: this is hell, and I am Giratina the devil." He looked at them and let the speech sink in. "That being said, I am not heartless. I will not put you through this today. You just got into Kanto, for Arceus' sake. Go to a hotel or anywhere that you are staying. Get some rest. Eat well. Prepare your bodies and minds. Because tomorrow is when it all begins. It will not be easy. I want you to be ready." He turned to Nagi. "You can return them to your Poke Balls, Nagi. That's all for today."

There was a series of flashes, and before long it was just the four humans standing in the gym again. Sabrina cleared her throat.

"There are some good places to stay a few blocks down the road. I'm headed home now, but it's not out of the way and I can show you. Would you like to come?" She asked. Nagi nodded.

"Um, sure. That would be great." He said. The two of them left, but not before Sabrina turned back and gave Trodaire a small wink.

_**Great speech, Tiger.**_

He smiled a little, and let his thoughts become readable.

_**Eh, I've done better. But thanks.**_

She smiled, and before you knew it they were gone.

Paulie and Trodaire watched the doorway in silence for a few moments. Then Paulie found his voice.

"Fairies? What kinda stuff is they alls about?" He asked. Trodaire shook his head.

"I don't know, Paulie." He was pensive. "But whatever it is, I know that this is going to be big."

"Maybe you should ask dat one frienda yers, Arach?" Paulie asked. Trodaire shrugged.

"He's vacationing with his family. I'm not going to disturb him until he gets back in a few days." He said. He turned to Paulie. "Alright, let's lock up for the night." Paulie nodded, and got to work turning off the lights. Trodaire continued thinking.

He'd lied, after all. He had heard of Fairies.

Well, not Fairy Pokemon, per say, but fairies from the old pulpy myth book he'd read in Orre.

They weren't pretty and sweet and benevolent in those stories.

They were devious and sly and possessed a cruel side when provoked.

And they murdered dragons.

Trodaire saw that Sylveon's bored expression hidden behind two cold blue eyes, and he shuddered. He also saw that kid again in his head, with that reserved nature and melancholy eyes.

Who was this kid?

And more importantly, what had he seen?

Sabrina also found herself wondering what Nagi had seen. The boy was polite, but evasive about many things. Why the acting Champion of Kalos would send a fourteen year old in her place. Why she was an 'acting' Champion. His mother also seemed to be a touchy subject, though in a more rueful way. It was clear Nagi resented the acting Champion, an actress named Diantha. All she'd managed to get there was a dodging 'She doesn't fulfill her obligations very well.' Yet the same could be said of Alder when he was Champion of Unova, and Nagi appeared to find at least him amusing. Nagi also seemed closed mouthed about his training journey, only murmuring that it hadn't been quite what he expected. They parted ways at the hotel she suggested, and Sabrina returned to her home. When she got there, Alakazam had his head turned in the direction of the hotel she'd left Nagi in, a pensive expression on his face.

"_That child bears burdens he is far too young for. What they are is obscured, but they are his to bear until Creation itself takes them from him. He is right to be scared."_ Sabrina raised an eyebrow. What could obscure something from Alakazam's sight? Very, very few things, all of them old and powerful.

"Be that as it may, he's here and he wants Trodaire to help him train. That's something Trodaire can deal with." Alakazam let out a huffing sigh.

"_As you say. Let us hope what laid those burdens on him does not come looking to lay more."_

Nagi sighed, looking at the clock. Two in the morning, but the reminders of route ten wouldn't let him sleep. He tapped Amber's ball, letting her out. After a few stretches, she turned to him, establishing a link with those still in their balls so that Nagi could feel them as well.

"We… do we really want to do this? It'll be hard, and there'll be parts of it that won't be fun at all." A wry smile twisted his lips. "Not that we haven't done hard before, or run straight into hell not knowing what we were doing." Amber let a soothing noise, and Izanagi mentally snorted in agreement.

"Giratina the devil? Better the devil than either being we've already run into." He remembered the low challenging bellow of the great stag, dark eyes with x's impossibly within them, the high pitch hunting scream of the wyvern, wings and tail spread as it sought to return all to dust. Lysandre's howled curses as the ruins collapsed. AZ's sorrow, so enduring whether or not the man truly was what he and Lysandre claimed him to be.

Charm's battered and still form.

He drew in a breath, stopping the memories before they overwhelmed him. That was the past that could no longer be changed, this was the present and nowhere near where he and they had all lost so much.

"So, do we walk away and embarrass ourselves? Or do we give the devil his due?" Tempest bellowed in his mind, the great roar of a beast that had roamed when the Legends were still carving the lands into its forms. She did not know what backing down was, and Garden was in a sense egging her on, a rill of desire to be better in her mind. Robina's thoughts were chirps, inquisitive ones that told him she was at least willing to give it a go. Izanagi's thoughts were bland and bored, he'd go along with whatever Nagi wanted as long as he didn't think it was too stupid. Or something Steel showed up and he had to climb a wall to get away from it. That was likely to happen come to think of it, if Steven Stone trained there. Google felt anxious, but she liked Trodaire, he hadn't thought she was stupid looking and not-a-Dragon so she'd try her best. Though she would no doubt whine through parts of it. Nagi looked at Amber, the oldest of his team, remembering when he'd held her as a Fennekin.

"Well, sweet sister? If you don't desire to, we won't." Nagi waited for her response.

Amber stared into the flames on the tip of her stick, eyes unfocused. She brushed her fur into its most proper position, and put the stick away, the flames dying as she did so. Her thoughts were a warm blaze. Images of Trodaire, of the gym, of the sense that this was a place they could learn and grow. Notations of Sabrina, of Paulie, of the fact that though he had no Pokemon to call his own there was the sense that there were ones who would die to protect Trodaire as they would their master. Curiosity, what could the Orrean teach them?

And after a long mental silence, the sense that if Giratina itself could teach them to be better, to not fail those depending on them, well then the devil would get its due one way or the other. Nagi smiled, slipping a Poke Puff out of his bag and handing it to Amber.

"Then I'd best try to get some sleep. We've a busy, busy day tomorrow."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Chapter 2, working on getting the characters flowing and on what they'll do. And yes, I did watch Jurassic Park as a small child/teenager. As usual, flames amuse me, and would make a nice addition to my household heat. And for more of Trodaire and Sabrina, The Fighting Irishman is in my links, check him out!

Disclaimer: Don't own the rights to the game series, otherwise we'd have a rival or two more in the lines of Blue and Silver rather than the constant 'friendvals' we've had the past few Gens. I get paid for working a 9-5 job, but it all goes to the bills, so there's no point in suing me.

Cost of the Crown 2

**Nagi**

Nagi sighed as he slid into his clothes, tugging first his boots and then his skates on. Today was going to be busy. With the ease of long practice he tested that the skates were strapped down right and tight. He'd seen a kid in Luminose break his ankle when his skates weren't secured and he'd built up too much speed. He tested the straps a second time, then headed out to the Pokemon Center. The Joy there was happy to listen to him explain Izanagi's 'new' type, and grateful for the help in feeding the Pokemon currently in her care. Nagi left with his own breakfast in hand, assured of a clean bill of health for his partners.

He wove his way in and out of the crowds with the ease of long practice, eyes watching. People were interesting, but after all he'd seen, Nagi was in no hurry to trust everyone blindly again. Some people just couldn't handle reality. They built up reasons and causes, tried to impose their view of how the world should be on others. Worse ones just took what they wanted with no regard for how it hurt others. Nagi sighed, using a ledge for a back flip while trying to shake the morose mood he'd found. No good would come of thinking about it.

He stopped at the Fight Club, looking at the building, his eyes assessing. This was the final point he could back out. He could change his mind, accept that Diantha had thrown him off the deep end before he was ready and let his elders kick his ass for that. It wouldn't come as a surprise, really. For a champion, Diantha was on the weak end of the scale, the time she spent making movies and being a social butterfly leaving her little left to train her Pokemon well. Nagi let out a bemused snort, he'd had more trouble with Siebold and the Gyrados the man wielded like a rolling pin then he'd had with Diantha. No one but himself would judge if he walked away and chose a different path.

He'd begun to come to the conclusion that he was his own worst enemy.

Nagi tugged the skates off, entering into the building while he bundled them back together and stuffed them in the seemingly endless pockets of his backpack. The Conkledurr, Conks he believed it was named, grumbled at him and he nodded a good morning to it. No one seemed to be out front, but noise from the back indicated there was a session going on. He slipped into the shadows to watch, curious.

"One, two, THREE! One, two, THREE! That's it, you're getting it now!" Trodaire was in his element as he worked with the Pokemon, showing a Timburr a throw, encouraging a Nidoran to tackle her target harder, occasionally showing the people who trained the Pokemon moves as well. Nagi sat and watched, trying to dissect some of the moves. His whole experience with fighting was either using his small size to a bungling advantage against adult enemies or following the path pioneered by Shauna as a last resort. All though the 'Scream at the Top of My Lungs and Run Around Like a Caffeinated Pikachu' maneuvers stung his masculine pride.

Then again, Nagi'd expected to get maybe one or two gym badges and then head back home when it got either too difficult or bored him. How he'd ended up as a candidate for becoming the next official Kalos champion mystified him.

"There he is! Told ya he'd come back Troddie! Da kiddo ain't the quittin' type!" Paulie was enthusiastic in his announcement of having found Nagi watching. The other trainers looked at him, and Nagi tilted his head, obscuring part of his face with his bangs. Most people wouldn't recognize him outside of Kalos unless they were obsessive about knowing potential champions or Elite Four members, but that wasn't the only point he'd had the spotlight on him. Grace the Ryhorn Racer was well known even outside of lands where the sport was popular, and it might be easier to identify him by his mother's exploits than his own at the moment.

"So you did, Paulie, so you did. Just give me a few minutes to wrap this up and we'll get started." Nagi nodded, letting Izanagi out of his ball and going over a few stretches with the Sylveon himself out of sight of the other trainers. Paulie watched him with an appraising eye, noting that the boy had the sense not to let the eeveelution get ahead of itself and foul the warm up. While the Sylveon did some quick trots back and forth, he inquired with the subtlety of a Hariyama directed wrecking ball.

"Yas said that dis Fairy type's been treated like a big secret that ya had ta hide. Why?" Nagi looked up from watching his Pokemon exercise, face blank for a second. He then sighed, before letting Garden out to begin her own practices.

"Well, it's pretty much recorded history that the leagues and the countries haven't gotten along at times. There was a war, quite awhile back. I think it was with Unova, but it might have been with just about anywhere. Something happened in it that cause a massive amount of extinctions and population drops, primarily within the Fairy type. A lot of them aren't really physically strong, and history also has a long and glorious trail of kings who thought nothing of harming a species to the point it no longer became viable within its natural territory. Records show Eevee used to run wild over a good portion of both Johto and Kanto, even into Hoenn, but its range has shrunk to Unova and Kalos, for example. It was deemed necessary to reduce contact and restrict the usage of pure Fairy types to within the Kalos borders in order to allow the populations to recover and stabilize." Paulie looked a bit bug eyed.

"It was dat bad?" Nagi sighed, finished letting everyone out but Tempest to work on their warm ups. He'd need to watch Tempest closely so that she didn't decide he was ignoring her and that she needed to have a tantrum. He couldn't do that and talk to Paulie as well.

"I guess. This happened ages ago, by now you can't swing a Steelix in some areas without smacking some of them with it. Lots of them if they're Flabebe's. A good puff of breath will send a Flabebe five or six feet since the little petal huggers hold the record for tiniest Pokemon in existence." He frowned and corrected Amber when she repeatedly over extended an arm. "Mostly girls tend to gravitate to Fairy Pokemon. They think that the fact that they're cute is adorable."

"All things considered, I don't blame them." Trodaire had obviously finished up whatever it was that he was doing with the other group of trainers, as he had quietly walked up behind Nagi and Paulie. "Fairy types are pretty cute looking. Might have to get one for my girlfriend Sabrina as a present." The Kalos native stiffened in surprise. Trodaire must have a little bit of Poison-type in him, the way he was able to shiftily move from one place to the other without anyone noticing. Trodaire looked at the five Pokemon stretching, and frowned.

"Where's Tempest?" He asked.

Nagi was honestly impressed with the fact that the Orrean had remembered the name of his Tyrantrum, even though it was the first real day that he was working with her. Then he remembered why it was that he was holding back on sending out his largest teammate.

"She…needs a lot of attention when she's warming up." He said. To Nagi's relief, Trodaire understood immediately. The Orrean brought his hand to his mouth and whistled sharply.

Immediately, the three Fighting types that Nagi had seen yesterday came bumbling over like a comic relief troupe.

"Boys? We've got ourselves a lady who might be a bit ornery. Keep an eye will you?" He asked. Sawk, Throh and Machamp all bravely saluted, and tensed up. Sighing, Nagi threw the Poke ball.

There was a flash of light, and then a roar. Tempest wasn't really a fan of being let out her Poke ball if she didn't have a lot of sleep or if she knew she was about to do some exercise she wasn't particularly in favor of. Unfortunately, both caveats were in effect here.

She growled and shook her head, gnashing her teeth. Nagi started to panic. Tempest was behaving really badly right now, especially by her standards. He was about to say something to calm his Pokemon down, when the single most insane thing he had ever witnessed happened.

SMACK.

Trodaire had leapt forward in front of everyone, and with a surprisingly good vertical jumped up and slapped Tempest right in the cheek. The Rock-Dragon wasn't even angry. She was so stunned at this brazen challenge that she just stared at him in shock. So did everyone in the gym. You could hear a pin drop. Then Trodaire spoke.

"Good morning, your majesty!" He snapped. He was staring at the Rock-Dragon directly in the eye. "Did I disturb your slumber? Is the thought of getting better something you don't think you need, because you're a champion? Well here's a NEWS FLASH for you." He pointed to the far wall. There, fading away from time, was what appeared to be a number written in dry-erase marker: 5000. "That's how hard Kanto Champion Lance's Dragonite can punch, in terms of PSI. And I trained a team to shrug that off like it was nothing. You think you're bad because you were a part of a championship team? One that beat Diantha, that wonderful actress? I would bet the life of anyone in this gym that that Dragonite could slap you unconscious. You are not unbeatable, and you are not the greatest gift known to Pokemon. Now do myself and your friends here a favor and buck up. Otherwise you will be miserable."

There was a pause as the Rock-Dragon stared at Trodaire with hateful eyes. Nagi was flabbergasted. Who was this guy to talk to his team like that? Then Trodaire's expression softened.

"Look at you." He said, staring at Tempest. "So much anger. So much pride. You remind me of someone I trained a long time ago. There's so much potential in you. You can be a great one. I know it. But you've got to accept that a bad attitude won't fly here in my gym. Otherwise, there's no point in continuing. Are we clear?"

Tempest was silent for a moment, and then grudgingly nodded. Trodaire turned to the rest of Nagi's team.

"That goes double for you, pretty-boy." He pointed to Izanagi, who had been watching this exchange with a mirthful expression.

Trodaire walked in front of the sextet of Pokemon that had fully stretched, and then cleared his throat.

"Now that you're all warmed up, we're going to start with something simple. I want to see a baseline for every Pokemon I train. I don't always pick the same test, because I think it is beneficial to be open to the possibilities of life. You dig?"

They all nodded, if somewhat unsurely. Trodaire grinned.

"Excellent." He said. "Now, I'm nothing if not studious. I spent all of last night researching you guys and your match-up against the Kalos Elite Four. I watched your battle against Diantha, and then I studied her. This might come as a bit of a shock to you, but on the scale of Champions…Diantha isn't the greatest. Kind of soft."

Nagi smiled a little bit to himself. Of course his thoughts about Diantha were right. She was an award-winning actress…not a Champion. Now he knew why she had declined competing at the World Tournament that the Boy from the Mountain won a year ago: she would have been embarrassed, wouldn't she have?

"So…naturally…I want to test your endurance." He said. "I want to see how tough you really are." There was a gleam growing in the Orrean's eye that Nagi wasn't really too fond of. Trodaire glanced at him. "Nagi, do you carry a lot of Full Restores and Full Heals?" He asked. Nagi blinked once in surprise, but nodded.

"Um…yes, I do. Why?" He asked. Trodaire sighed.

"We're gonna need them. Let's see…who's going to go first?" He wondered aloud. He pointed at Google. "You! Google, thank you for volunteering!" She hadn't volunteered at all. Maybe that was the joke? Trodaire jerked a thumb in the direction of the boxing ring in the center of the gym. "Hop in the ring with my three friends." He gestured to the Sawk, Throh and Machamp waiting in the ring. The amorphous Dragon tentatively got in the ring, accidentally smearing some droplets on the ropes. Nagi made a mental note to clean that up later.

"What's the point of this?" Nagi asked. Trodaire smiled.

"We're gonna see how well Google does taking a hit." He said. On cue, all three Fighting types in the ring brandished a wooden fighting stick (the kind you see in martial arts movies). Nagi was too terrified at this development to wonder where in the name of Arceus they had been hiding those things. Trodaire walked up to the corner of the ring, and looked a clearly afraid Google in the eye.

"Don't worry, dear. The point of the drill is to see how long you can last. If it's getting too hard, just tap the ring and they'll stop. Got it?" Google nodded, though she looked unsure. Trodaire looked at Nagi.

"Also, no move calls. Let the girl react naturally." He said. Nagi was stunned, but agreed. Trodaire blew a whistle.

The three Fighting types rushed her. Nagi could only shout words of encouragement as Google fought off the three attackers as best she could. All things considered, she did a bang-up job. But eventually, continually getting whacked all over your body by four wooden sticks (as Machamp could carry two) is a bit of a drag, and Google was soon tapping the ring in submission. The three Fighting types immediately and respectfully bowed and walked away, and a clearly in-pain Google walked to the corner, where Trodaire was waiting.

"Paulie!" The Orrean shouted. "How long did she last?"

"About twenty three seconds!" The old Saffronite replied. Nagi paled. That was only twenty three seconds? Trodaire signaled for Google to look him in the eye.

"That was a great job." He said completely seriously. "There's some stuff we're gonna need to work on. You manage to get one Take Down in before they overwhelmed you, and then you were in a Struggle for the rest of the time. If you're up against tough odds, you've got to be confident enough in your abilities that you don't panic. Stay calm, stay focused, and you'll be great. This is a good start." He led her out of the ring, and then smiled. "Who's next?"

It was perhaps no surprise to anyone in the room when Tempest lumbered forward, stepping with an almost dainty care into the ring. The Tyrantrum had been looking at the faded 5000 on the wall instead of the struggle, bead eyes narrowed. It was there, a taunt and an insult that there was something out there that could hit harder than she. Her royal nature despised it, and now Tempest wanted to smash the interloper, show it that SHE was the true queen of everything. She drew in a breath and bellowed, light fixtures swaying from the force of her challenge.

"Well, seems like her majesty thinks she can outlast her little sister! Boys, let's see how much of that is bluff!" Trodaire watched Nagi while the Fighting Pokemon advanced on Tempest. The Kalos boy watched for a second, but his attention was occupied with coaxing Google into swallowing as much of a Full Restore as she might need. His attention was on his wounded Pokemon, not on the fight.

Trodaire had noticed a similar pattern throughout the Elite Four and Champion fights. Nagi had held his own well against Wikstrom's steel types and Drasna's dragons, and had made it through Mavra with minimal distraction. Siebold had nearly flattened the young trainer, and he'd been over careful with his Pokemon, treating their injuries with haste and ill concealed worry. Diantha hadn't been much of a challenge for him, though part of the battle had been blurred out, and Trodaire would bet it was intentional. He'd also noted Garden had been absent from the Pokemon used. Nagi had gone in with the traditional six, but he'd refused to use the sixth, and it had been left unlisted in the champion files. Garden was therefore the youngest and most hastily brought up, and would no doubt need attention.

"TEMPEST, BAD GIRL!" Trodaire jerked his head around to see Machamp and Throh whacking at Tempest's legs, while Sawk's own lower limbs flailed out from between her jaws. Fortune decided that no one was going to have to explain to Bruno where one of his Pokemon had gone as Sawk got in a lucky punch to the back of Tempest's throat which caused her to spit him back out. She swiveled her head, clearly angry enough to try again, and a pinkish blur moved across the room.

Trodaire had seen it on the screen, but in reality and up close it was even more shocking. Izanagi, his small form glowing with energy, slammed into Tempest and sent her skidding out of the ring and across the floor. Her head collided with one of the steel pipes Trodaire had used to train Aggron and her eyes rolled back. The Sylveon minced over to make sure he'd K.O.'d his teammate and then flounced over to the ring to wait on what would come of this.

"Arceus, I thought she'd outgrown that! She used to do it to smaller Pokemon when she was hungry out in the field when she wasn't evolved, I didn't think she'd actually try and EAT an opponent!" Nagi looked furious, and Trodaire couldn't blame him. While it was obvious Tempest was a predator, most Pokemon didn't try to eat one another in training battles. Paulie looked a bit unnerved as well, and Trodaire looked at Nagi.

"What happened?" The young trainer sighed.

"I think she was just going for a Crunch attack, but Sawk took a swing at her tongue and she jerked wrong. Once she actually got him in her mouth instinct took over, she has to tip her head back to swallow so she jerked up. On the bright side, at least Sawk got spit back out." Paulie nodded.

"Yeah, I think she was gonna spit him out when Nagi yelled, but den he one-two'd and she hadta spit him back out anyway. Might want to remember that letting her snap at things isn't a good idea. Can yeh imagine Claire or Iris if one of their tiny Pokes got gulped? Da nastiness or da waterworks?" Trodaire pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Okay, one bad habit to work on, how long did she last?" After a bit of confusion, the timing came out roughly at 31 seconds. Longer than Google, but then again Tempest was both bigger and tougher skinned. Trodaire watched as Izanagi clambered up in the ring, almost having to laugh as the eeveelution scrambled frantically with his back legs to get up in it. Then he looked at Tempest, Nagi trickling a Revive in between her teeth and scolding her in soft tones. At least the Tyrantrum was showing a guilty look and was behaving as if she were ashamed with herself. Trodaire would have flat out demanded Nagi change Pokemon if she hadn't. She was no stone killer, it had just been a case of wrong movement, wrong time.

He paid more attention to the Sylveon's fight then his thoughts, just in case. The eeveelution wove in and out of the fighting types, taking blows with ease and twisting his head to steal one of Machamp's sticks to further his mayhem amongst them. The fact that the blows didn't slow him much indicated a natural defense against fighting types, though that could be overcome with enough time. The fight came to a dead stop however when Machamp wound back and unleashed a Bullet Punch to make up for it's missing stick. Paulie jumped when Izanagi threw back his head and wailed in outraged pain, limping away from the Machamp with fury in his eyes and tapping out. Trodaire watched the Sylveon retreat to a corner to lick at his side, glaring daggers at the Machamp between each lick. Fighting moves might be an amusement, but it appeared the Fairy loathed steel with a passion. The bits he remembered from the book matched that, that steel was a bane to fairies, and poison if one was desperate enough.

"One and a half minutes, pretty good. Though Machamp, let's remember it's sticks only. Even if he stole one of yours, it meant he wasn't using as many moves himself." He looked over at the remaining three, all of whom had some advantage over Fighting types. "You ladies okay with a quick break before we run you through this little test?" None of them objected, and Trodaire watched Nagi soothe Izanagi back into a better mood.

"I'm sorry again about Tempest, she'll be more careful and I'll watch her better. And about this mischief maker." Nagi tugged a feeler and Izanagi stuck out his tongue. "He likes to cause chaos if he can."

"I guess so." Trodaire said, a small smile creeping across his face. Then he glanced over at Machamp. "I'll have to talk to the big guy about taking cheap shots. This is hardcore training, but I'll be damned if it isn't fair."

"Will it listen to you?" Nagi asked, glancing at the Machamp. It was currently chuckling at Sawk's near-death experience, and Throh was snorting with laughter as well. Sawk, to its credit, seemed remarkably chill about the whole experience.

"I don't know. Will Tempest listen to you?" Trodaire asked, staring straight at the Rock-Dragon. She snorted, and refused to make eye contact. Was she embarrassed? That would be a first, Nagi thought.

"I'll make sure of it." He said. Trodaire nodded.

"Then Machamp will listen to me. No worries about it." Trodaire said. He glanced at Robina, who was perched on one of the rafters. "Hey, Free Bird! You ready to go?"

The battle-scarred Talonflame gave a proud war cry, and it hopped into the ring. But then Trodaire stopped it.

"Hold on just a minute there, Free Bird." He said. Nagi could tell that the Orrean was deliberately trying to get under Robina's skin with that flippant nickname. "I'm not training a bird to fight on the ground. That just wouldn't be fair to you, now would it?"

The indignant Talonflame bellowed out another war cry, no doubt emphasizing that it would be fair. Trodaire wasn't swayed.

"I know what I'm talking about. Now listen up! First, I need you to do what you do best. Take to the skies! Fly! Fly, my pretty!" He said. Paulie groaned and facepalmed in the background.

"Troddie's been watching too many movies…" he grumbled. Conks the Conkeldurr just grunted in agreement.

Robina took to the air, gently flapping her wings to keep herself aloft. Trodaire smiled, and Nagi noticed that that mischievous glint had reappeared in his eye.

"Okay, Free Bird! Here's the thing: for the past three Pokemon, we've played Lacrosse. For you, we're gonna switch things up a bit."

On cue, the three Fighting-type Pokemon behind him pulled out what appeared to be medicine balls once again from out of nowhere. Nagi seriously wondered if they were Psychic, the way they could pull things out of their-

"We're gonna play dodgeball." Trodaire said, a positively sadistic grin curling on his lip.

For the first time in his life, Nagi saw Robina visibly gulp.

Throh, well, threw the first one. Robina yelped in surprise at the speed of the ball as it whooshed past her. She turned around and stuck out her tongue defiantly.

Hah! You missed! She seemed to be saying.

At that moment, the ball bounced off the far ceiling, ricocheted back and crashed into the back of Robina's head so hard the bird flipped over once in the air before righting herself. She was dazed. Trodaire chuckled.

"Less mocking, more dodging!" He said.

And so it went. Nagi was impressed at the accuracy of the three

tossers below, as they were able to throw their medicine balls in a place that never broke anything, and then catch the ball back before it hit something behind them. Of course, poor Robina was tiring herself out swooping and diving and gliding out of the way of each airborne missile. She took a couple more to the back, and before long her exhausted form was laying in the middle of the ring, feebly tapping the surface with one of her wings.

"Time!" Trodaire shouted. He glanced over at Paulie. "What'd she get?"

"Dat birdie gots a 43!" Paulie shouted. Trodaire smiled.

"Excellent work. 43 seconds and not a biting to be seen." He glanced over at Tempest. Nagi wondered if the Orrean had a death wish the way he kept provoking that Dragon.

"Who's next?" Trodaire shouted, glancing at the remaining two. He smiled. "Why Amber! How nice of you to volunteer." The Delphox harrumphed, clearly getting a little tired with Trodaire's "volunteering" business, and then gently stepped into the ring. To Nagi's embarrassment, the three Fighting types started, well, wolf-whistling.

"Knock it off or so help me Arceus I will put you all in a headlock and make you tap out!" Trodaire snapped. He glanced at Nagi. "I'm all for visual puns, but that was ridiculous." He hopped into the ring before any of them could say anything.

"Alright, my dear. It is clear to me that you are a Psychic type. And as much as it pains me to say, I am not really able to train Psychic types."

Wait, what? Nagi felt that he was getting gypped. Trodaire smiled.

"Don't fret! I know someone who most definitely does." He called into the shadows. "Honey? Can you and your friend come over here?"

To Nagi and his team's surprise, there was a flash of light. Two figures stepped out of it. One was that beautiful woman that Nagi had seen on the first day, Trodaire's girlfriend Sabrina. The other was an Alakazam, and Nagi felt a bit reverential. Those were some powerful Psychic types, those Alakazam, and he didn't think he'd ever seen one in person. The being turned towards Trodaire, and smiled.

"_Greetings, Master Trodaire_." It 'said' through telepathy power. "_How may My Lady Sabrina and I be of assistance?_"

"You did interrupt my plans to go to the new Saffron Spa, after all." Sabrina said, slightly annoyed. Then she looked over. "Oh, hello Nagi. I take it you've been introduced to my boyfriend's training regime from hell?"

Nagi and his entire team nodded in unison. What else could they say? Sabrina smiled slightly.

"Don't you worry. He's all bark and no bite." She said. Nagi got a kick out of the way Trodaire was pouting on the sideline. The Orrean coughed.

"*Ahem*. 'Scuse me? We've got a Psychic-type to train?" He asked. Sabrina nodded.

"Of course, babe. I'll let Alakazam take it from here." She said. She walked over to the corner turnbuckle where Trodaire was standing, but not before giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Machamp, Throh and Sawk all made exaggerated gagging noises. The next thing you knew, they were suspended from the rafters by their feet with what appeared to be rope made of Psychic energy. Paulie could only chuckle. Don't mess with someone's girlfriend when they're that strong.

Alakazam hovered to the middle of the ring, before gently setting his feet down so that it was standing.

"_Greetings, my dear Amber. I am honored to assist you._" It said pleasantly. Amber said nothing, instead just gaping. Nagi sweat-dropped.

"Um, M-mister Alakazam? I think she's more honored to be working with you." Nagi said. Alakazam chuckled. It was a warm, grandfatherly sound.

"_I don't blame her. According to my general scans of your battle memories you haven't really faced off against an Alakazam, and you certainly haven't faced me. I humbly confess that I have a bit of a reputation, it seems._" It said. Sabrina scoffed.

"Yeah. Your massive ego and your childish sense of humor!" She said. Alakazam rolled his eyes, before conjuring two spoons in his hands and twirling them expertly.

"_Do not underestimate my Kitchen Fu, My Lady._" It said cheekily. It then turned to Amber. "_Now then. I understand that you are part Fire type, is that correct?_" It asked.

Amber nodded. She twirled her Fire wand proudly. Alakazam smiled.

"_Excellent! Hit me with a Flamethrower._"

Everyone did a double take except for Sabrina.

"Wait, what?" Nagi asked.

"_Hit me. Give me your best Flamethrower!_" Alakazam had to know what it was doing, because asking that question to a fire type is listed in the Saffron police handbook as a Code-789.

Also known as "Natural Selection at Work."

Amber shook herself, took a deep breath, and pointed her wand at Alakazam. There was a flash, and a jet of fire leapt off the wand and raced towards Alakazam. Nagi felt a twinge of pride. Amber was his oldest and strongest Pokemon. She had been with him since she was a Fennekin. This move would surely impress Alakaza-

Alakazam snapped its fingers, and the jet of fire was frozen in mid-air. Everyone's jaw dropped. Especially Amber, whose flabbergasted expression was a sight to behold. Alakazam raised an eyebrow.

"_Dear me, it would appear that it's gotten a little toasty in here. Did someone turn up the thermostat a little too much?_" It snapped its fingers again, and the column of fire disappeared. Just…gone. Like it had never happened. It then raised an eyebrow. "_Now. Hit me with a Flamethrower._"

Amber was annoyed, and this time let out a jet of fire so hot that it was white. This time it got about a foot away from Alakazam's face, before it took a deep breath and-

FWOOPHF.

-It blew the stream right back at Amber. The Delphox barely had time to absorb the energy in her wand before she was scorched. Alakazam chuckled.

"_Those were excellent first starts, my dear Amber._" It suddenly held up its hands like it was a puppet on strings, and to everyone's shock Amber was mimicking his movement, though from the stunned look on her face it was clear that this was not by choice. Alakazam chuckled. "_Just me and my shadow._" It then snapped its fingers, and now Amber was suspended in midair by something invisible. Another snap, and the poor Delphox was spinning around like an airborne top. One more snap, and she was face-planted onto the mat with a loud BANG. Groaning, Amber got back up, but saw that she was now looking at an Alakazam that was no more than a few feet from her face.

"_Whoever has trained you in the arcane arts of Psychic types has truly taught you well._" Alakazam mused. It then thrust its palm forward, never making physical contact but snapping Amber's head back like she'd taken a Bullet Punch to the face. As she collapsed, unconscious to the mat, Alakazam smiled. "_But they didn't teach you everything._" It then floated off to the corner to join Sabrina and a completely flabbergasted Trodaire. The Orrean coughed once, and then spoke up.

"Alright! Last but not least. My dear Garden, why don't you step in the ring?" He asked. The Gardevoir nodded, and before long she had taken a fighting stance in the ring. Trodaire laughed.

"Oooh, what have we here? A Gardevoir that craves physical combat? My goodness, if not for your gender I bet you would have been a Gallade, am I right?" Garden made a slightly bashful noise, before shrugging as if to say "Most likely, yeah." Trodaire hopped out of the ring, and began walking over to one of the suspended heavy bags.

"_Master Trodaire, would you require my assistance?_" Alakazam asked. Trodaire shook his head.

"Nope, not this time Alakazam. I've been sensing that Garden here has been looking towards punching things instead of Psychic-ing them away. Which is a bit out of the norm, but certainly acceptable. So…I figured she needs a good opponent, and I think I know who to pick…"

He walked behind the heavy bag from one side, before poking his head out the other side.

"…Me."

There was an audible silence from the room.

"He's crazy." Paulie muttered.

"You're crazy." Sabrina said.

"You're crazy!" Nagi sputtered.

"He's crazy!" Every other Pokemon thought. Trodaire chuckled, before hopping back into the ring and removing his hoodie. He was wearing a black cut-off tee shirt that showed off his arms. They weren't hulking like a body-builder's, but they were clearly strong from use. They also had very intricate tattoos starting at the top of the shoulder and spiraling down to the wrist. Nagi thought he could make out an Arbok in the design pattern.

He also thought he heard Sabrina make a contented sigh/moan noise, but decided not to think about that.

"We'll keep it simple." Trodaire said to Garden. "No Psychic moves. Just come at me like you think you would if you were a fighter? Dig?" He asked.

Garden nodded. Trodaire smiled, and motioned his fingers in a "bring it" motion.

"Your move, dear." He said.

Garden gave out a battle cry, and lunged forward with a punch. Trodaire ducked under it, but the way he did caused Nagi and his entire team to raise their eyebrows. There was something…off about the way he was moving as he ducked under and countered the Psychic-type's moves. He was moving like…he was drunk? Machamp, Throh and Sawk seemed to know what he was up to, because they were whooping and hollering like crazy. Nagi also noticed that Garden was getting more and more frustrated…

Finally, it came to a head. The tired and embarrassed Psychic-Fairy lunged too far forward. Trodaire kneed her in the gut, and then grabbed the necklace she had around her neck as a means of a submission hold.

"First rule of fighting: never give your opponent something easy to grab." He said. Then he stared at the stone. "Say…that's a pretty little bauble you've got encased in here. What is it?"

Before Nagi could say anything, it started to glow.

In a normal situation, it wouldn't have gone anywhere. The Mega Ring was Nagi's side of the link, and he didn't activate it because it felt too much like cheating. It was true there were other trainers with the proper tools, but it was still a bypass to the limitation nature put on certain Pokemon species. But Nagi's emotions had hit a flashpoint, low level anger at the helpless feeling as his team got trounced and a desire to show Trodaire that he could do more coinciding with Garden's own emotions.

In short, the emotion Pokemon set off both their tempers, and everyone not from Kalos got a shock. The stone in the bracelet on Nagi's wrist flared to life as well, glowing as it set off a near impossible to achieve reaction, and told the laws of evolution to go and do obscene things to themselves in a dark corner somewhere. Sabrina drew in a breath at the display of colored energy, and Alakazam narrowed his eyes.

"_Well that is an interesting trick. Which begs the question of what in Giratina's Void has Kalos been playing with to discover this?_" Bruno's Pokemon all gaped, not quite sure how to handle the idea of a Pokemon that for several sound natural laws couldn't evolve farther apparently doing so. And in the middle of combat to boot.

Trodaire was too close to see much of what happened, but the Gardevoir's face… changed for lack of a better word. Not into something new, but the long hair shortened and curled closer to her skull, her eyes moved to a more forward position and the ear fans expanded, framing her face like an ancient knight's helm. Trodaire'd let go of the chain in surprise, and the next thing he felt was Gardevoir's arms slamming into him.

"GAR. DE. VOIR!" The Giga Impact shouldn't have thrown him as far as it did, given that it was both a taught move and not in Gardevoir's 'typing'. Trodaire rolled with the impact, coming up and blinking in surprise. Gone the simple 'dress' form of the normal Gardevoir and the green 'sleeves'. In its place the skirt belled out in strips, easier to move in and giving short glimpses of Gardevoir's legs, killing the myth that they actually had nothing under the skirt. Her forelimbs were less ribbonish, more like actual arms, and now had become white as the rest of her. The thin pink fin had split into two in the front, creating an almost butterfly looking bow, though one still protruded from her back. She looked less like a maiden and more like a princess.

A very angry, very war-like princess.

"Voir!" She lunged forward, quicker than before. Trodaire moved out of her path, but she swiveled and drew her arms close. The blast of energy left Trodaire blinded for a few seconds, in which she threw him again. He scrambled away from the blow she tried to land, wondering where this little trick had come from. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Nagi. The glimmering stone set in what he'd first taken as a sentimental piece of jewelry gave him his clues, along with the strained look on the boy's face. Somehow the stones resonated and did… something, he didn't know what. He wasn't a Pokemon Professor, he didn't spend his time dissecting every secret of the Pokemon species. Trodaire concentrated on dodging. He'd bet whatever was going on couldn't run too long before one or the other of the pair ran out of energy.

He proved himself right when within a few minutes both stones flickered and went out, the changes fading and Garden sitting exhausted on the ring floor. Nagi collapsed as well, his Sylveon and Goodra nuzzling him to show their concern. Trodaire got out of the ring, towering over the younger boy.

"Aside from the Fairy type and this little stunt, is there anything else you have hiding in the woodworks that is going to through a Mankey in the works? And while we're on that, just what was that little lightshow and costume change?" Nagi shook his head, Izanagi crawling up in his lap like a Purrloin. He kept his gaze on the Sylveon, exhaustion in his voice.

"No, nothing else like that in the background as far as I know. As for what it is…" He shrugged. "Kalos' primary export is evolution stones. These ones even Professor Sycamore doesn't really understand. We can use them, produce consistent results with them as long as other conditions are met as well, but most people who use them haven't a clue on how the actual process works." Garden let out a 'Voir' and tugged a Full Restore towards herself.

"We know that the stones create an atmosphere that allows a kind of evolution, we know that it can't be stabilized or maintained for very long. Meloetta does something similar with song according to myth. A battle evolution, but the stones allow faster reactions, bypass the need for specific moves as long as the bond between trainer and Pokemon is strong enough. I don't like it, it feels both like overkill and cheating. Still, it can turn the tide in a battle because it changes abilities and even typings. For example, Garden sheds being Psychic completely in that form, and she gains an influence on Normal type attacks that let her use them as if they were Fairy type." Trodaire frowned, following it. Used against things Gardevoir was weak to it minimized the damage done to her. Paulie's face wrinkled.

"Dat's kinda weird. So it's evolution that ain't evolution? Why don't everyone use it den?" Nagi shrugged.

"It requires the stones, and while an average person with luck can acquire the stone attuned to the Pokemon, finding the ones that work for the trainer is so mathematically small that you'd probably win the lottery a few thousand times over. That I can recall off the top of my head there's three set in bracelets referred to as Mega Rings, and Diantha has a Mega Charm with one. If there's more, the people who have them either don't know what they have or don't want to use them. I know roughly where the other two Rings are, so there's really no point in worrying about them." Izanagi chirped and pushed a packet of cookies at Nagi, continuing to make scolding noises until his trainer opened them and began eating. Sabrina raised an eyebrow.

"So these stones work for any Pokemon? Or is it specific?" Nagi looked up.

"The stones have to go with the species, or it just doesn't work. Some species even have more than one kind." He dug around in his backpack, pulling out a handful. All of the stones were distinct, and he tapped them. "Houndoomite, Lucarioite, I think this is Pinsirite. And this one…" He flipped the fourth to Alakazam, watching the golden stone glimmer a bit. "Alakazamite. Not that you probably need it much." He sighed. "The whole problem is figuring out what stones work for what Pokemon. There's so many Pokemon, and it's pretty much impossible to be certain that we've covered every possible species that has a corresponding stone. There's even the theory that many of them are dormant because the species they go with hasn't been discovered yet." Trodaire nodded, though it left an interesting bag of surprises.

"Well, I'll have to think on how to work with that. We'll have to set up a schedule…" Nagi shook his head.

"We're not done yet. You've tested them, but a team is not just six Pokemon. It is six Pokemon and one Trainer, and if they get better but I don't I'm hindering them." He tilted his head back, stubborn pride showing in his eyes.

Sabrina caught a few glimpses from Nagi's mind, as did Alakazam. Red suits, hair dyed in the most garish shade of red man could come up with. Empty posing. A man with a mane of red and gold weeping. '_Pokemon will be destroyed. They are magnificent creatures, proud companions, but their very power dooms them to destruction!_' A girl's soft voice. '_Yes, we competed for it, but that doesn't mean we FOUGHT!'_ A dead tree and an egg shaped stone, a bellow that put a Stantler's to shame and the scream of some kind of hunting bird. A man, a giant with age whitened hair and eyes too old even for him.

_Do you want to know unending sorrow, as I have?_

"I want to fight you as well." Nagi's certainty erased the images, pulled them back into the shields of his mind as he climbed into the ring.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's notes: Chapter three, in which Nagi learns that he isn't going to be challenging Trodaire like that again for awhile, theoretical Murkrow is eaten, and some training regimes are established. As I've said, this is a collab with The Fighting Irishman, who can be found under my fave authors.

Disvclaimer: I don't own the Pokemon franchise, and I'm making no money here so suing me is a waste of time and money.

Cost of the Crown 3

There was an awkward pause, and an uncomfortable silence that followed. Sabrina spoke first.

"Did you…did you say that you want to fight Trodaire? Like, spar him?" She asked, as incredulously as her normally stoic manner allowed. Nagi puffed out his chest in an effort to feel tougher.

"W-what's wrong?" He asked. "You think that if I fight him he'll put me in an ambulance?"

"No, Nagi. If we fight I'll put you under a tombstone." There was no joking in that tone of voice. Trodaire was completely serious, both in voice and in body language. He was rigid and cold, and it almost looked like he was…sad?

"No you won't." Nagi said.

"YES I WILL." Trodaire didn't shout, but his sudden raised voice startled everyone. Now he looked angry, but at what Nagi wasn't certain. "What are you, 14 or 15? I'm 25. I have been training how to fight since before you were alive. If you're trying to prove something to your team and to us that you're tough enough to make it in my gym, this isn't the way to do it. Steven Stone didn't need to fight me to prove that he belonged."

"I'm not Steven Stone." Nagi said. He was stretching out now, and Sabrina knew that his mind was made up, even if Trodaire didn't realized it.

Or did he realize it?

"But you're a champion, right?" Trodaire asked. Nagi didn't answer at first. "Are you a champion, or are you not?" He asked. Nagi finally spoke.

"Acting champion." He said. Trodaire snorted.

"What does that even mean? Did you beat Diantha or not?"

"I did."

"Then you are a champion! No 'acting' part included. You have nothing to prove to your team by getting in a fistfight with me. You've proven that you can stick it in my gym."

"My team has. I haven't." Nagi said firmly. He gingerly got in what he thought was a fighting stance. From the side, Bruno's Pokemon all exchanged nervous glances. This kid really didn't know what he was doing. If he tried to get in a fight, then their boss Trodaire was going to hurt him.

"It's not a show of strength to put yourself in harm's way with completely reckless abandon." Trodaire scolded. "This isn't how you conquer adversity, Nagi."

"Yeah? And what do you know about adversity?" Nagi asked.

Just like that Trodaire's demeanor completely changed. Sabrina put her hands to her mouth, eyes widening as she (discreetly) read Trodaire's emotions. She hadn't felt this emotion in a very, very long time.

Rage.

"…You've got some nerve, kid." Trodaire said quietly. His hands were clenched into fists so tightly that his knuckles were practically whitening. Nagi didn't see this, but Sabrina sure did. "I don't know what your lot in life has been, but I certainly haven't felt the need to challenge you on it. But if you are so insistent on learning a lesson completely the wrong way…then be my guest." He got into a relaxed fighting stance. "Your move, hot shot."

Nagi hesitated for a minute. He knew that he had made Trodaire angry, but he wasn't about to look like a coward in front of his team. So, he took a deep breath and ran towards Trodaire intending to punch him in the face.

Trodaire ducked under the haymaker, and with cat-like reflexes grabbed Nagi by the waist. The young Kalos native realized what a horrible mistake he'd made when the Orrean lifted him up in the air completely effortlessly, and then tackled him by means of falling on top of him. It was perhaps the gentlest move Trodaire could have picked, and yet it still hurt like hell.

Trodaire was sitting on top of Nagi's chest. The Kalos native threw a weak punch. Trodaire just grabbed his hand with little to no effort. Then he twisted the wrist a little bit so that Nagi daren't move for fear of having it broken. Then Trodaire spoke.

"That's the thing about blindly rushing into something without thinking." He said. "You make a fool out of yourself. And you made yourself look like a fool in front of your team. Champions don't do that." He stood up, letting Nagi brush himself off. He then turned to Nagi's team. "You guys were fantastic today. I'm very impressed, and I'm very excited about your potential." He smiled a little bit. "Get yourselves some rest. Tomorrow we're gonna work on some sparring." He extended his hand down to Nagi, who took it after a moment of staring. The young Kalos native quietly thanked them for their time, and then walked out the door after calling back his entire team into their Poke Balls. As soon as he'd walked out the door headed back to his apartment, Sabrina spoke.

"You were a little hard on him, you know." She said. Trodaire sighed, and leaned against the ropes.

"Yeah…I was." He said wistfully. Sabrina smiled sardonically. At least he realized this. Trodaire spoke again. "But then again, if this had happened a few years ago, I'd have done a whole lot worse."

"What was dat all about?" Paulie asked. He scratched his head. "I mean, when I coached da kids at da high school fer boxin', I had a few foolish young uns, but nothin' like dat."

"I think he thinks he has something to prove." Trodaire said, sighing as Paulie, Conks and the Bruno gang started shutting down the Fight Club for the night. "I just don't know what it is." He turned to Sabrina. "I'll see you at home, ok?" She smiled.

"Okay, sweetheart." She said. She nodded to Alakazam, who waved his hands. There was a flash of light, and they were gone.

Some time later that evening, Trodaire was standing out on the balcony of Sabrina's mansion, watching the sunset. He heard the slider door open behind him, and soon after felt Sabrina hugging him from behind, her head resting on his shoulder.

"You're still bothered by the end of today's session, aren't you?" She asked. He chuckled a little bit.

"We've talked about you reading my mind, Rina." He said with a small smile. Sabrina snorted.

"I don't need to read your mind for that one. Your body language is fine enough." She said. She sighed, staring at the sunset.

"Alakazam and I are worried about Nagi. That boy's got something he doesn't want to talk about. Multiple somethings, as a matter of fact."

"He needs to come clean with them." Trodaire said. "I don't know if I can train a kid with emotional baggage." He said. Sabrina shook her head.

"You have to, Trodaire. And you will." She said. "Lest you and I forget, when we first met you weren't exactly all full of self-confidence yourself." She playfully poked his cheek with her finger. He couldn't help but laugh, and then sighed.

"How do I do it, though?" He asked. "Steven was fine and in control of himself. He just needed some good-old fashioned tough love. I think this kid needs more, but how do I get through with that?" He asked. Sabrina looked up in the sky in deep thought. Then she spoke.

"I think you'll figure it out as things go along. The best advice I can give now? Remember how you felt when you were a kid. When you lost someone close to you. Your mom. Your uncle. Things like that. We've…just got to be there for Nagi. He's alone in a strange country and none of his family or friends are here." She said. Trodaire smiled again, and turned over his shoulder to look her in the eye.

"What, like a big brother and sister? Since when do either of us know anything about being a sibling?" He asked with a wink. Sabrina rolled her eyes.

"We'll figure it out. And if nothing else…" She hugged him a little tighter. "We can rely on each other to back one another up." There was a pause before she spoke again. "You know you can always ask for my help through this. I'll always be here for you, Trodaire."

"And I'll always be here for you, too." Trodaire said. There was a small pause.

"I love you, my little man of the dust of the earth." She said. Trodaire smiled, and turned around so that he was hugging her face to face.

"I love you too, my little witch master of the arcane." He said with a big ol' grin.

Sabrina rolled her eyes, but there was no denying the smile on her face.

"_If the two of you are quite done out there, I feel it might be prudent to inform you that I've finished cooking dinner…and Madame Sabrina's favorite show is about to start._"

With an incredibly out-of-character girlish squeal (and with the speed of a Rapidash), Sabrina raced out of Trodaire's arms and into the house. If Trodaire listened hard, he could hear her hyperactive voice demanding Alakazam to "TURNITON-TURNITON-TURNITON!" He sighed, and rolled his eyes.

"Why does she like those Ponyta so much?" He wondered to himself as he walked into the house after her. "And why, for that matter, do I let her make me watch it with her?"

Meanwhile, Nagi had strapped his skates on and despite the lingering pain from being thrown, tackled, and pinned forced himself to move. His speed was reckless, zigzags broken by flips and spins executed with increasing fervor. He avoided people on their ways to and from work by a hairsbreadth, ignoring called curses and demands to slow down. He didn't think, just moved. After a time, he allowed himself to slow and stop, watching the sky and the occasional Pidgey without thinking.

Nagi honestly couldn't say what he felt. His wrist hurt from where Trodaire had twisted it to make his point. He was a child trying to run before he could walk, but he'd never been one to back down. He'd bulldozed his way through the Gyms, even the ones he didn't have an advantage in, and he'd just crashed his way through most of Team Flare. When his team got started, they usually didn't have problems. But they weren't quite as imbalanced as they once were. Nagi heard a roar and turned to watch a battle. A Growlithe dodged and twisted as best it could, but against the opponents Gyrados the match was already a foregone conclusion. The Gyrados swung its head and the Growlithe flew through the air, rolling to a stop as its trainer recalled it.

_/His third lays limp, great wings shredded, breath gone. Lysandre himself seems surprised that this has occurred, but there is nothing left but red and RAGE and Xerneas' bellow as he unleashes it./_

Nagi moved, leaving the battleground, getting lost in movement again. Gyrados was not a Pokemon he cared to see at that moment. Logically, he knew there was no fault to the whole species, knew they were good Pokemon and solid battlers. In his gut he feared them because of Lysandre, because of a moment in a hole that Giratina itself would prefer to pretend didn't exist. He'd stood in front of creatures that in theory represented Creation and Destruction, and he hadn't flinched. Nagi found himself in front of his hotel, and decided he needed to rest. He was exhausted enough he just slept, he didn't dream, didn't recall everything that haunted him and drove him.

In the morning, he helped Joy again, finding pleasure in watching other trainers Pokemon enjoy their breakfasts and rubs and pats. He rubbed his wrist while he went to a meal, then checked over Amber and the others himself. Other then the fact that they were smarting from the defeats they'd been handed yesterday, they were eager to go again. Nagi sighed at all the energy they had, wondering when he'd lost his. He just felt so tired at times. He put on a smile to cheer them up and then skated along towards the Fight Club, bruises protesting more exercise on top of what he'd done yesterday.

He was going to eat Murkrow and apologize. He didn't know much about Orre, but he knew it was rough country, and if Trodaire could pull himself out of it rather than sink he'd had it rough. Nagi in contrast had most likely had an almost privileged childhood and life up until he'd agreed to take Amber and wander. His problems had all been a tsunami, sudden and unexpected while Trodaire had grown up in an area that made people blanch.

He threaded his way amongst the crowds, unaware that today he had an audience. Sabrina watched the quick turns, the double-backs and the occasional spin and flip, with a wilder double-flip flung in to cause a few small children to squeal. Today Nagi seemed upbeat, not stinging and stewing from Trodaire's set down, but that was surface. Under it bubbled a newer feeling rage that had yet to be settled, a wound still fever-hot and apt to break open. She watched him head toward the Fight Club, then texted Trodaire.

_**He's on his way, I get the feeling he plans to make contrite. Kid's got some moves when skating, might want to talk to him.**_

With that, she headed off to her own work for the day. The gym wouldn't run itself, and Alakazam needed to work off excess energy instead of threatening to use that Alakazamite as a shooter marble. She had the feeling that it wasn't meant to be treated like a child's toy.

Nagi stopped in front of the Fight Club, removing his skates again and bundling them. Amber and Garden both brushed against his mind, one comforting warmth, the other supportive eagerness. He dipped his head towards Conks, dropped it lower in shame when the Conkledurr gave him a disapproving huff. He'd acted the fool, he didn't need the reminder about that meal of Murkrow. He stepped into the Fight Club, wondering what today's training would hold.

"I knew you'd be back."

Trodaire's voice came out from the back of the gym. It was darkly-lit, with most of the lights off to conserve energy. And there were no other trainers in the gym today. It was just the two of them. Nagi glanced over to see Machamp, Throh and Sawk staring at him intently. They were eying him with…was it contempt? Or was it pity? The Kalos native wasn't sure. Trodaire stepped out from the shadows, and spoke.

"I thought a lot about what you said last night." Trodaire said. "About how I don't know adversity? I'll admit, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Kept me up half the night. And then, something hit me. Something hit me and I fell asleep and didn't think about you for a second for the rest of the night. Do you know what that something is?" He asked. Unsure, Nagi could only shake his head. Trodaire shrugged. "You're just a kid, and you don't know any better. I mean, look at you. Nagi, the son of Grace the Rhyhorn racer." He frowned when he saw Nagi's facial expression change. "Don't you dare act like that. Do you have any idea what it's like to have a parent that cares about you and loves you? Not everyone gets that opportunity. I would kill someone to have my mother back in my life. And every day I wake up wondering where my childhood went. But I keep moving forward, because I know it's what she would have wanted. If there is a problem between you and your mom then by Arceus as soon as we are done today, you are giving her a phone call and straightening it out."

He crossed his arms across his chest.

"You couldn't have possibly known any better. You couldn't have known what Orre is like. You'll never know what Orre was like, unless you visit it. But that's ok." Trodaire said. "It's okay that you don't know any better. I forgive you for that outburst. I forgive you, Nagi…But here's the thing. You need to understand that whatever is going on in here…" he tapped his chest, where his heart was. "You've got to let it go. It can't define you. I can see right through you, buddy. And I see a guy that is confused and angry and upset by something, but won't tell anyone what it is. You can't do that to yourself. You can't let yourself be eaten up by pain. Because that's exactly what it will do: it will eat you up from the inside until you're nothing more than a husk. You'll rot from within, and everything good in this world will be nothing to you. That's a miserable existence. I knew plenty of people who felt that way, who'd hit that rock bottom. They might as well have been dead men and women walking. I won't let you hit rock bottom, Nagi. As long as I'm alive, every single person that steps through this gym is gonna feel that they're the greatest and most powerful person that they can be. I can see that special glint in your eye, Nagi. I know there's something magic about you and your team, and it makes me so giddy I can barely contain myself. But…the first step to being successful in this life is to learn to love yourself for yourself, and let that self-pity go. So I'll start by saying this. I forgive you for saying something you didn't mean to say…and I'm sorry for wrenching your wrist." He added with a small grin. The look on his face didn't seem like that of a trainer or a coach or even a parent.

It looked like that of an older brother.

"…This just makes eating that Murkrow harder." Trodaire caught muttered, as Nagi drew in a breath.

"I shouldn't have said what I did. I…" He sighed. "Yes, Mom loves me and cares for me, but it's HARD standing in her shadow. She raced while she was expecting me, as soon as she could haul me along she raced with me on the sidelines. The racing's her first love, and I often know I'm lost in the shadow of it. I was on a Rhyhorn before I could walk, but I'm not a racer. There's only so much a racing Pokemon can do, it's limiting." He touched Amber's Pokeball, tracing its lines.

"Augustine Sycamore did not intend to send anyone other than Serena as a Dex holder." It was blunt, and even the Fighting Trio blinked in surprise. The reason for multiple pokedex holders was to cover more ground, to get several points of view instead of just one. One trainer might find entirely different Pokemon than another, train them in different ways. "He changed his mind when he heard Mom had moved to Vaniville, decided on a whim that he'd add me. He didn't even know me, didn't know what I was like or if I was interested. He just sent the Pokemon with a couple of other kids and expected that it'd all turn out alright. I didn't even meet the esteemed Professor until after I'd won a Gym battle." Nagi's bitterness was almost palpable.

"No, I don't know what Orre is like, but I've heard enough to know I spoke out of turn, and I'm sorry for that. But Kalos will cut you with a subtler knife. You do what the higher class expects, and Arceus forefend you make your way on your own merits. But for my mother's skills, Amber would have never been mine. I have to deal with people who think more of who's family is more prestigious than they do of how well they themselves have done or trained their Pokemon. A Gym trainer admitted to my face she'd paid someone else to raise her Pokemon for her, that she was so worried about messing up her precious outfit that she wouldn't train her own Pokemon." Trodaire raised an eyebrow. What he'd seen of Kalos had always made it seem rather pretty and cultured. Then again, he'd met Claire so he should have expected that there was more to it than just the good.

"Sounds like you're pissed about that, but there's plenty of nepotism elsewhere. Look at the Oaks here. I wouldn't have let Gary go with an attitude like that." Nagi shook his head.

"Attitude isn't what I'm talking about. Most Professors and trainers have contact with the children they send, can make decisions about them from having met them and seen how they act. That's not the way it is in Kalos. So-and-so's father was a great Grass trainer so they must be even if they're more comfortable with Ice. In some cases the child is literally raised next to the Pokemon the family decides is right for it. Sycamore didn't bother to find out for himself or anything about me other than what the papers bleat, and they talk about my mother more than me." He shook his head. "I've gotten off topic. I wanted to say that I know even with things that have happened I haven't had it that bad. I shouldn't have pushed, but I've gotten a little too used to bulling through things, as has my team. I didn't think, and I made you angry because of it. I'm sorry." He bowed as formally as he could manage. Trodaire managed not to heave a sigh of relief. It wasn't all of it, not by a long shot, but there was one of the sore points brought out and dealt with.

He didn't know how many more of them existed, but at least there was progress. Nagi looked up at him, curious.

"So, what's the torture of the day for today?"

Trodaire chuckled.

"Torture is such an…ugly word. I prefer the word 'hardcore.'" He glanced at Nagi's hip, where the young man's Poke Balls rested. "But I do have something for today. We're focusing on one-on-one instruction today. Let's start with Garden. I can tell that she's the youngest of your team."

Nagi nodded, both at his suggestion and comment, and let loose the Poke Ball. There was a flash, and once again Garden the Gardevoir graced the Fight Club.

Machamp stared at her with his lower arms crossed, as if he were trying to keep his heart from beating out of his chest. Throh and Sawk, those two little punks, immediately saw that their friend was an Amazon chaser and began to exchange looks and sniggers.

Which was promptly ended when Machamp's other set of arms slammed down on their heads like cartoon anvils.

"You gave me a good beating, you know?" Trodaire said with a grin. Garden blushed, and gave a vocalization that seemed to say 'Aw, shucks. I didn't mean it!' Trodaire glanced at Nagi with a raised eyebrow. "I could say that she's the most powerful Psychic on the planet and she'd say I was overplaying it, wouldn't she?" Nagi, despite himself, laughed.

"Yep. Garden is pretty modest."

"She's also unlike any other Gardevoir I've ever seen. So we're gonna play off of that." He glanced over to the sidelines. "Throh! Sawk! Get in here!" The duo shook off their growing headaches, and bumbled over the ropes and into the ring. Garden elegantly floated over the ropes herself. Machamp was left to pout on the sideline.

"What are you doing today? Beating her up again?" Nagi couldn't help but ask. Trodaire shook his head.

"Nah. Today little miss badass here goes on the offensive." He whistled, and from out of nowhere Throh and Sawk pulled out large pads, like the ones linemen on a football team hit to build tackling strength.

Okay, this is getting ridiculous…Nagi thought.

"What are those for?" He asked. Trodaire grinned.

"Garden! I can tell that if you were a human, you'd be more interested in beating boys up than winning them over, am I right?" He nodded at her noncommittal gesture. "Mmh hmm, damn right I'm right! So, here's the drill. Throh and Sawk are gonna take turns running at you with the pads. You're gonna force them back. But here's the kicker: I want you to hit them the way a Machamp might hit them using a Mega Punch, but you are not to make physical contact. Think you can figure that out?"

Garden took a moment to think it over, and then nodded an affirmative.

"GO!" Trodaire barked.

Throh came in first, charging at the frail-looking Psychic type with his heavy bag. Garden sensed him coming form her left, and pivoted to face the fighting type. She raised her hand towards the bag, and narrowed her eyes in concentration. There was a dull whump sound, and the bag looked like it had been punched or kicked directly in the center even though no physical contact had been made. Throh was sent skittering back, but used his momentum to bounce off the ropes behind him and come after her with renewed zeal. Whump. Once again, the Psychic type bounced him back. This kept going for a few moments, until Trodaire barked again.

"You too, Sawk!" He shouted.

Now Garden had to deal with two attackers coming at her at alternating intervals. It kind of looked like dancing to Nagi, the way the young Psychic was working. Pivot, whump. Pivot, whump. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that she was enjoying herself.

"No more alternates! Synch up!" Trodaire yelled. Now Throh and Sawk were timing their attacks so that they were coming at her from both sides at the same time. Garden was able to beat them back, but now she was clearly showing signs of exhaustion. Nagi felt himself relax a bit. Surely Trodaire would see this, and tell her the drill was fini-

"Machamp! Get in there!" He barked. Nagi watched the giant hop over the ropes with-

…Dear sweet Arceus, was that a steel folding chair?

Garden's eyes widened in shock, and threw a huge blast of focused energy at Machamp. Rather than knocking him back the way she'd been knocking Throh and Sawk back, this had the unintended side effect of blowing Machamp out of the ring. He sailed through the air whilst screaming comically ("CHAAAAAAMMPP!"), before crashing unceremoniously into a mountain of heavy bags and cardboard boxes.

Trodaire blew the whistle.

"Machamp!" He said. "You okay, buddy?"

There was a pause, and then a quartet of arms emerged to give him a shaky thumbs-up in response. Garden covered her mouth with her hands, eyes widening in embarrassment. Trodaire saw her expression, and chuckled.

"Don't worry, Garden." He said with a grin. "That big lummox can take a beating." He paused in thought. "Still, perhaps it would be smarter not to have him rush at the trainees with a steel chair. Almost as if he wanted to see what she was capable of…" He trailed off. He thought nothing of it. "Good work, Garden! Go take a break." He said.

The grateful Psychic floated off of the ring, and with a sigh sat down next to Nagi. She was sweating, which was something completely out of the ordinary because Nagi knew that she was normally cooler than ice. To see her in this much duress…that meant that this training was serious.

"Are you okay, dear?" He asked. Garden looked at her trainer, and nodded. She smiled a bit, and wiped the sweat off of her brow. If anything, this was exciting to her!

There was the sound of moaning, and Machamp emerged from the wreckage clutching its head and dizzily stumbling about. It made eye contact with a worried-looking Garden, and gave a goofy thumbs up. Garden giggled a little bit, and nodded.

"Machamp! Get back in here!" Trodaire shouted. The Fighting-type Pokemon grumbled as it got back over the ropes. Trodaire turned to Trodaire. "Gimme Google, will you?"

There was a flash, and then a loud "GOOO!" as Google the Goodra emerged from its Poke Ball. It saw Trodaire and waved, clearly happy to see the nice man that had complimented her earlier in the week. Trodaire smiled. "Hello to you too, Google. Wanna learn a cool move?" He asked. The Dragon-type hopped over the ropes…well, she tried to. In reality, she got her feet caught in between the top rope and the middle rope, and with an awkward yell plummeted face-first into the mat. Nagi, Trodaire, and everyone else in the gym facepalmed. Trodaire sighed. "Very nice, sweetheart. Now, let's learn how to use your size for an advantage!" He said. He grabbed Machamp. "You're gonna grab your opponent around the waist from behind like this…" he tapped Machamp, and then with a yell flipped over backwards. Now, granted, Machamp had given him a lot of help, but to see a human suplex a Fighting-type Pokemon is not something you'll witness every day. Trodaire wasn't finished. He stood back up, while Machamp was still on the ground. "You're gonna have to be quick, but you get up…run to the ropes…" he ran to the ropes on the side, and bounced off of them back towards the still-supine Machamp. "…and then the SPLASH!" He leapt up in the air and body-slammed the Fighting type. He looked up at Goodra. "You're bigger than I am. Use that to your advantage in both setting up the move, and then on execution. Because if you really want to demoralize the opponent's teammates and get the crowd on your side, nothing works better than a body slam. Just be sure you've got the opponent sufficiently dazed before you try it, because otherwise…" Machamp grabbed Trodaire and put him in a headlock, which Trodaire tapped out of. "…your opponent will counter, and if they're worth their salt in ground-to-ground combat, they'll get you in a submission hold."

"I've never seen submission holds before, really." Nagi said. Trodaire shrugged.

"They're only recently becoming a 'thing' in Pokemon battling. If anything, they can be a lot safer for the Pokemon fighting because the referees are watching intently, and it adds a bit of excitement to the match. I mean, I was watching a battle on TV the other night and a little Machop beat a Medicham because it got an ankle lock Submission! That was crazy. But I'm getting off topic. Google! Let's see some slams!"

"Goo!" Google chuckled, waving her arms with enthusiasm. That she liked this idea was plain as the nose of a Nosepass. She began practicing, grabbing Machamp and tossing him. Trodaire watched her run for the ropes, giggling as she bounced off them, leaving goo on them as she ran back towards Machamp. The Fighting Pokemon grinned, planning to grab her with its lower arms and teach her a lesson. After a few seconds, its expression got rather 'WTF?' when Google landed on it for the body slam.

This was because its arms weren't moving as far as they could due to the fact that Google's slime she inevitably left behind when she grabbed anything loved to stick to itself and served as an effective movement tangler. Trodaire raised an eyebrow at Machamp's thunderstruck expression.

"I take it that's a natural property of her goo?" Nagi looked up and got a rueful expression.

"Yeah, some Goodra use their slime to slow enemies and prey down. It was how we won against Clemont's Emolga, let him bounce off her enough that he couldn't move much and one well timed Outrage after that he was down. The Heliolisk just kinda soaked it up and whacked her around with Grass Knot afterwards though." After the second body slam Machamp wised up and used its upper set of arms to fling her. Google whined as she landed but scrambled up and gamely tried again. It didn't take long for Machamp to put her in a submission hold and have her tapping out. It looked over at Garden with a goofy grin, only for it's expression to fall when it noticed she wasn't paying much attention. Nagi noticed this and just shook his head.

"That Machamp reminds me of Shauna. The main difference being that unlike Garden I wasn't playing hard to get, I just didn't think of a kid four years my junior like that." Conks let out a huff and waved one of his cement blocks in Machamp's direction as if to say 'get your head back in the game, boy!' Trodaire looked a little blank while Sawk and Throh made exaggerated gagging motions. At least they did until Machamp picked up Google and tossed her giggling on top of them. She cheerfully aided in the duo's humiliation by hugging them both, sliming them liberally in the process.

"You think he's trying to impress Garden? Would that even work?" Nagi chuckled.

"Some guys like women who can thump them into the ground. There's a rumor to the effect that my father first followed my mother because she accidentally plowed into him with Rhyhorn. Not that I'd know, he was one of the wanderers, didn't stick and Mom doesn't talk about him." Google came over, begging for attention in a silly way and cooing when Nagi patted her. Trodaire revised his estimation of her intelligence. Google wasn't as childish as she acted, but being cute and cuddly got her what she wanted, and caused opponents to underestimate her. She'd shape up with regular challenges to her ability.

"Well, looks like Google just needs to work on her ability to endure things, let's run Amber through what we did with Garden earlier. After Throh and Sawk clean themselves off." Trodaire winked at the two, who grumbled off with their arms and gi's stuck to themselves. Trodaire helped Machamp with the slime stuck to it, finding his own fingers stuck to themselves a time or two from it. He chuckled in his head, imagining Claire trying to deal with one. One hug and those fancy dragon master outfits she loved parading about in would be ruined. Unless the Clan had some kind of fabric that would negate the stickiness.

"So, while we're waiting on Thing One and Thing Two, give me a rundown on the Kalos league Gym Masters. What you think of them and such." It was a way to assess what kind of challenges Nagi'd faced from them, and to prepare any trainers Trodaire sent that way. Nagi tilted his head, then began his rundown while he cleaned up the mess Google had made of the ropes.

"Going in the order I did, taking into account that they'd switch teams depending on how far along a trainer is in theory? Santalune's Viola is a Bug type trainer, but that didn't make it easier. Surskit is one of her Pokemon and a good counter to Fire types, weakening moves from both Robina and Amber. Grant from Cyllage is a Rock Type, he's solid and steady, but what really wears most trainers out is getting to him by climbing up the rock walls in the Gym. The gym trainers don't help much either." He patiently untangled a particularly sticky bit of goo from the ropes.

"Korrina of Shalour you'd get on with, she trains Fighting Types. She and her grandfather were also the ones who tested me to see if I could handle the Mega evolution. Her gym trips trainers who aren't expecting it up, you have to skate and skate well to get anywhere. Ramos of Coumarine's gym is built in the branches of a huge tree, he relies on the trainers exhausting themselves swinging from net to net to counter the fact that he uses Grass, that wise old billy-Gogoat. Clemont in Luminose is a science junkie, it's no surprise he loves the Electric type. I really should have battled him second, but there was a power outage in Luminose at the time that prevented it. He runs his gym like Blaine used to run his, a bunch of questions to advance through it. I answered most of them wrong on purpose for the extra experience with the other battlers though. You'd have to be stupid to not be able to tell a Fletchling from a Pidgey. He's hampered by his little sister though, she always jumps in and ruins his speeches. Valerie of Laverre…" Nagi paused, as if thinking. His next sentences were careful.

"I've heard that the Saffron Gym runs similar, warp panels to bring you to the leader on a winding path so that rooms are not logically connected together. Valerie's gym is like that, but the design is rather like a large doll house, the trainer's even wear clothes that make them look doll-like. Valerie herself trains the Fairy type, though how she can move that quick and battle in that outfit eludes me. She was hard, since I couldn't use Tempest or Google and Izanagi is the same typing. She unnerves me. Olympia of Anistar uses Psychic, and her gym is… let's just say it defies several laws of physics. She also speaks like one of those old mentors from a sci-fi film. You know the whole 'Do or Do Not. There is no Try.' style. Wulfric of Snowbelle was the last I faced, he uses Ice types, he's surprisingly cuddly under that façade. He's a big fan of Brycen, but I think he went somewhat easy on me." Nagi finished untangling and cleaning the ropes. Trodaire nodded as Sawk and Throh came bumbling back in, ready for their bout with Amber. Other than the comments on the Fairy type leader, it sounded like Nagi hadn't had any problems with the gyms. Trodaire'd seen the Elite Four, so the problem wasn't there, either.

Amber's rounds went similar to Garden's, though she actually got to throwing back all three. The mage fox looked exhausted by the time she was through, and Nagi cheered her up by handing her one of her favorite Pokepuffs to snack on. Izanagi had already clambered into the ring, tail and ears both perked up with interest. It seemed he looked forward to the chance to repay Machamp for the Bullet Punch from yesterday. There was also the sense of an over-protective big brother watching out for his baby sister, even if he and Garden bore no resemblance to each other what-so-ever.

"So what kind of training are you planning for Izanagi?" Nagi was curious about what kind of training would happen to his fifth oldest Pokemon.

Trodaire glanced over at Machamp, who had successfully cleaned itself off from Goodra's "hug."

"Get in there, big guy." He said. Machamp silently nodded, and then hopped over the top rope. Izanagi snarled, and Machamp continued to stare at it expressionlessly. "So, hot shot…" Trodaire said to Izanagi. "I think it's time we faced one of your fears." He whistled, and there was the sound of grumbling. Old Conks came out from the back of the gym, carrying a cardboard box that was worn and falling apart but clearly carrying something of importance. Trodaire glanced at it and smiled. "We haven't used those babies in a while, have we?" He asked to the rest of the Fight Club staff. There was a general roar of agreement. Conks dropped the box, and Nagi jumped when he heard a loud and metallic CLANG as it hit the ground. Something in there was heavy, and he didn't like that one bit. Trodaire nodded over to Machamp, who reached under the ropes and grabbed some of the things in the box. Nagi had to do a double-take. Were those…armored boxing gloves? Machamp wordlessly applied them to its hands, and Trodaire spoke again. "There are boxing gloves, and then there are BOXING GLOVES. These are the latter. Izanagi, as you can see, not only are these boxing gloves coated in metal…" he paused for dramatic effect. "They're coated in steel."

The look of rage and fear and hatred on Izanagi's face in that moment was so palpable, Nagi wished he had a camera to take a photo of it. He…hissed in rage, staring Machamp directly in the eye. Machamp just grinned a little bit coldly, and flexed his pectorals as menacingly as he could. Trodaire just rolled his eyes before he spoke again.

"The rules for this are simple. All Machamp is gonna do is throw Bullet Punches. The gloves will slow him down, but not by much. They'll also increase the power of the punches. We're gonna build up your resistance to this stuff, hot shot." He said.

"Uh…Izanagi is weak against Steel." Nagi said blandly.

"…So?" Trodaire asked.

"So I don't think you can improve his natural resistance." Nagi said.

"…Yeah we can." Trodaire said with a wink. He glanced at Izanagi. "Simple rules for you, hot shot! Knock. Him. Out. Think you can do that?" He asked the Eeveelution. Izanagi nodded, stone-cold in its focus. Nagi couldn't help but lean forward on the ropes and watch. This should be good.

"GO!" Trodaire shouted, blowing the whistle hanging around his neck.

Izanagi darted forward, glowing slightly as he moved. Machamp immediately started punching. The speed that the Fighting type had was truly incredible, Nagi felt that if it was moving any faster it would be impossible to catch with the naked eye. Izanagi kept darting in and out of reach of the flurry of punches, before finally striking Machamp right in the nose. It bounced off of the goliath like a pinball, and got back into a fighting stance. Machamp growled, wiping its nose reflexively. Another charge, and another series of darting in and out of reach. But this time Machamp changed tactics.

It had been moving in a relatively predictable pattern. Upper left, lower right, upper right, lower left. Now it went completely at random, and then even threw two punches at once. One of them connected with Izanagi's chin, in a vicious uppercut. The Eeveelution wailed with pain as it was sent flying straight up in the air, and Machamp began winding up for the finishing uppercut that would end the fight.

But while it was in midair, Izanagi tucked itself into a ball and began spinning. It spun faster and faster, and began to glow a brilliant white light. It moved like a wink, zipping past Machamp's haymaker like it was thrown by a drunkard and smashed into the Fighting type's nose again. There was a sickening crunch, and Machamp yelped in pain. It clutched its face, and blood began pouring out of its nose. Izanagi hesitated, no doubt worried if it had hurt the big lummox as badly as it thought it had. Only for those fears to be put to rest as a fist came out of nowhere and connected with the side of the Eeveelution's head. Izanagi was knocked out before it even knew what had happened.

Trodaire whistled, and then vaulted over the top ropes with a medical kit. He immediately started applying care to his partner's battered face, while at the same time instructing Throh and Sawk to restore Izanagi to consciousness. The two fighting types argued over who had to be the one to do mouth to mouth, before that was settled when Nagi quickly slipped under their noses and fed Izanagi a Revive. The Eeveelution blinked once, and then as soon as its senses had returned gnashed its teeth and growled at Machamp. Because Trodaire was so busy working on Machamp's face, he didn't notice that Machamp had taken the liberty to extend towards Izanagi all four of its hands, each holding a very particular rude gesture. Despite themselves, Nagi and Garden started laughing.

"You asked for it, you big moron." Trodaire scolded the Fighting type. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop waiting for that uppercut to come to you? You go to the foe!" He groaned, and then turned back to Izanagi and Nagi. "Izzy over there did a nice job. I'll call it a tie for today. But for a cheap shot, I think that it would've won…though, on the other hand, Izanagi let its guard down so that wasn't the smartest thing for it to have done."

Nagi could hardly argue with that line of logic, and quietly escorted Izanagi off the ring.

Next came Robina. This time, Trodaire decided to focus on technique. He grabbed a giant, fluffy mat that stunt people used to break their falls from death-defying jumps, and told Robina to crash into it like it was practicing to be a Brave Bird. It took a demonstration from Trodaire hopping off the top turnbuckle in the corner onto the mat, but before long Robina was executing the move with gusto. Trodaire had to marvel at how fast the bird could speed from the air to the mat, and knew that if he tried jumping up to intercept Robina he'd be cut in half…

…Now there's an idea…

"Free Bird! Catch!" Trodaire shouted as Robina was about to make another nosedive. Trodaire had grabbed one of the useless heavy bags in the corner of the trash, and had thrown it in the air with a mighty heave. Robina was too surprised by this to change direction, so with a determined shriek plowed right through. There was an explosion of fluff as the bird tore right through the heavy bag, before crashing unceremoniously onto the mat. Trodaire was beside himself with glee.

"All right!" He shouted. "We've not only found a way for Free Bird here to attack the foe with that Brave Bird…we've also found a garbage disposal procedure!" He said, laughing in between every word or so. Even Nagi had to laugh out loud at that. And he kept laughing. It wasn't a chuckle, or a reserved "heh-heh." It was a full-out belly laugh. He couldn't stop himself. He had to sit down, and wiped a tear out of his eye as he pictured Robina in a trash collector's outfit forgoing the garbage truck in favor of ripping apart trash bags with its bare beak and talons. He stopped, a goofy smile on his face. Garden noticed her master's change in mood, and smiled. Trodaire noticed it too. "Well, I'll be damned. The stone-faced Kalosian has a sense of humor after all, huh?" He asked. Nagi shrugged, the smile still on his face.

"I dunno. It was funny, that's all." He said. Trodaire chuckled.

"Damn right it's funny! Now, that's five Pokemon that have gotten a workout today. Who's left?..." He trailed off. "Oh, of course she's left. Our little firebrand, her majesty."

Nagi looked down at the ground, slightly embarrassed. Trodaire cleared his throat so that Nagi would look back up at him.

"Don't be so glum. We'll whip her into shape. But…I don't think I can do that by myself. Which is okay! It's okay to know what your limits are, because then you get someone who can compliment you and augment your talents. And you get better because of that. As a matter of fact, I know a guy who's wanted to help me with someone for the longest time. I kept telling him that I didn't have anyone that would pique his curiosity, and he always told me that I was being too picky. But Tempest…that's a girl I think he would do well to work with. And I think you might like him as a person yourself, Nagi. He should be coming in in a few minutes. Paulie went out to get him at the train station."

They waited patiently for a few minutes more, Nagi's brain racking as he tried to think who this person might be. Then, the door opened.

"Always a pleasure teh sees yah, yer majesty!" Paulie said, holding the door open for his unseen guest.

"Please, Paulie. I am about as far from royalty as one gets." The man stepped through the door. Nagi felt his chest heave.

He was about six feet tall, average height for a man. His hair was cut short, dark brown with a creep of grey coming in. He wore glasses that looked like a regular suburban dad's reading glasses, and was dressed in equally bland clothes. His skin was pale the way most people from Kanto or Johto were, and he was a little bit thin from age. If you saw him on the other side of the street, you would have thought nothing of him. But Nagi was close enough to see that legendary emblem pinned to the chest of his coat, and knew exactly who he was.

The man glanced up to the ring, and made eye contact with Nagi.

"Ah, you must be Nagi!" He said pleasantly. "Trodaire's told me so much about you and your team. I look forward to helping work with you for a bit." He took off his coat, revealing that he was wearing a red flannel shirt underneath it. "Forgive me, where are my manners? Let me introduce myself."

"I…I know who you are, Grandmaster Arach." Nagi managed to squeak out in awe.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: More training, more fluid moments as Nagi meets Arach and Tempest learns a lesson or two. A nice party, and Mega Alakazam enjoys being indecipherable to most mortals. As I've stated, this is a collab with The Fighting Irishman, who's written and writing some of the best Pokemon fanfics I've had the pleasure of reading in a long time. Go and check his works out!

Disclaimer: I only own copies of the games that I play for amusement purposes only, not the series or the ideas of the series. Suing me might net you 6 cents and a recently hatched shiny Eevee with no respect what so ever.

Cost of the Crown 4

The reactions were comical to say the least.

The Fighting Trio gaped, and Izanagi took the advantage to get hold of the top of Machamp's briefs for a wedgie. The Fairy type didn't give a fig about Arach's status, to him he was just an old man who happened to train the flying lizards he ignored. Garden fluttered back and forth, alternately gaping at Arach and trying to get Izanagi to let go before Machamp had no chance of a future generation. Robina hopped forward to investigate, but retreated from the four windmilling arms with an agitated shriek. Amber sighed, pinching the bridge of her muzzle with a tired look. Children, why must she be surrounded by such children was the sense she projected.

Google looked like she was torn between trying to hug Arach, just about exploding in glee, and shyness. She finally opted to hide behind her trainer, peeking out from behind him as best she could while scrunched down in ways that made Trodaire wonder if she possessed a spine and bones in truth, or just had some weird way of firming parts of her body to pass for them. She moved while Nagi turned and ducked low under Machamp's arms to get ahold of Izanagi's neck. He pried the eeveelution off, giving him a short shake.

"Is this how you behave in front of company? You maybe full grown, but you are NOT big enough to act like this and get away with it, Izanagi. Not by a long shot." The Sylveon just gave his best innocent look, but didn't protest. It was clear he knew he'd pushed past the boundaries of acceptable behavior, and while he wasn't sorry he knew better than to try Nagi's temper. Arach raised an eyebrow, chuckling.

"That little one seems to be the type to cause mischief no matter who is in his presence. Perhaps even before Legends?" Trodaire thought Nagi would get whiplash from the way his head snapped around. For once even the prankster had a gape-mouthed look of shock as he dangled from his trainer's hand.

"You… what… how?" Nagi sputtered, setting the Sylveon down. Izanagi shook himself, then settled into grooming his ruffled fur back into position. Trodaire wondered what Arach was driving at. The Dragon Grandmaster just smiled a little.

"I've heard a great deal about you Nagi, most of it from my darling wife. Drasna was very impressed with, I believe his name's Izanagi, and the amount of training you must have put in for him to plow through Dragalge's Sludge Wave to knock it out. And this must be Google, I've managed to find a video of her scuffle with Clemont's Emolga when she was little. Very entertaining, to see a Goomy bouncing up and down on top of something to repay it for getting smacked into the walls." Nagi blushed, and Google just about exploded, gooing in glee and sweeping her tail from side to side, splatting slime on the walls. Amber twitched in ways that suggested she was finding the whole thing a bit annoying. Or at least, Google's over enthusiastic response. Nagi bowed his head, a dull blush across his cheeks. He seemed uncertain of how to take Arach's words.

"I am honored, Grandmaster. I… wait, you and Miss Drasna are married? I thought from the way Mavra talked she… nevermind." Nagi sighed, feeling like he was putting his foot in his mouth. This was the Grandmaster of the Dragon clan, and instead of saying something polite, he just blurted out his surprise that one of the Elite Four was married to him. It shouldn't come as a surprise to him, Miss Drasna was the most normal of the whole lot. Siebold and Wikstrom were both kind of married to their work and their craziness respectively, and Mavra seemed to be carrying a torch for Lysandre. A big, flaming one that she swung at Nagi as often as she could.

He so didn't need to think about that, and Arach was chuckling again.

"Ah, I can vaguely recall being young enough that the idea of anyone older than my parents being married was incomprehensible. What about you, Trodaire?" The Orrean shrugged, grinning a bit at Nagi's embarrassment.

"Grandmaster, I still wonder that anyone of ANY age gets married at times. We're getting a little off track though, her majesty's probably wondering if she's getting any exercise today." Nagi blinked, and considered smacking himself in the head as he realized he'd forgotten to let Tempest out in all the craziness. He reached for her ball, being careful to aim it where she'd materialize a good distance away.

"Tempest, come out!" Tempest formed, stretching to her full height, tail extended to keep her balance. She drew in a deep breath, opened her jaws, and bellowed.

"TYRANTRUM!" It was her announcement to the world that she was there in spite of its best efforts and she wasn't going away. After a few seconds, she dipped her head down to stare at Arach, blinking in puzzlement when he stared evenly back at her. _'Why little man no run_?' was the expression on her face. Most things ran when she announced she was there. The only things that didn't run where other Dragons and stupid Fairys that just ignored her because she couldn't do much to them even if she Crunched them. She snuffed at Arach, tail tip quivering while she did so. After a few seconds, she huffed, blowing his hair into disarray and fogging his glasses. She stood erect again, looking down.

_'Well little man, what you going to do?_' Seemed to be the question in her stance and face.

For a while, Arach didn't move. He continued staring at Tempest, with that mysterious little smile on his face. Tempest was growing annoyed, and began to snort and grumble. Why was little man still standing there? Tempest would show little man RESPECT.

She reared back, and delivered an absolutely terrific Roar. It was so loud, it knocked the Fighting trio onto their butts, caused Nagi and the rest of his team to duck for cover, and knocked Paulie out of his chair. Trodaire managed to plug his ears in time, but glanced in awe that the Roar had completely shattered the glass windows of the building.

And Arach had not even flinched. He took off his glasses, wiped the fog off of them, and then smiled as he spoke.

"Well, what do you know? You have quite a bit of pride, my dear." He said. He continued smiling. "Of course, you're foolish if you think that that is all that you need to succeed." He said.

Tempest stopped snarling, and looked at the Grandmaster with shocked confusion. What was little man implying?

"You're young. So very young." Arach said, admiring Tempest's build the way an art critic sizes up a particularly fancy piece. "So I suppose it makes sense that you haven't learned the first rule of being a true Dragon."

This was enough to get Tempest worked up into a prideful rage again. Not know? How dare little man accuse her of not knowing what it meant to be a good Dragon? A true Dragon? She would show little man what a true Dragon was. Arach reached for something on his belt, and Trodaire saw that it was a Poke Ball. He felt that familiar feeling of excitement one gets when something truly awesome is about to happen, and could barely hide his grin.

"Of course, that is one of the first things that a Dragon learns: pride is the deadliest of sins a Dragon can have. So we learn. By Arceus, do we learn." He twirled the Poke Ball on his finger. "Of course…" he said with a small glint in his eye. "…the best way to learn is usually by experience." He tossed the ball.

There was a bright flash of light. Then came a shrill shriek. A sleek, blue and red Dragon had emerged from the flash, and stood at its master's side. Garchomp had a devilish grin on its face, like it had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.

"Tempest? This is Garchomp. He is one of my oldest and dearest friends. He will also be your sparring partner for today." Arach said. Trodaire heard this, and immediately whistled for the Fighting trio and Paulie to help him hide everything valuable or easily broken inside a side room with no windows. Nagi and the rest of his team got in on the action too, and soon The Fight Club was a barren shell of its former self. Trodaire turned over a few tables as a makeshift barrier, and ordered Nagi and his team to get behind them. This would get messy.

Tempest let out the Dragon equivalent of a laugh, and glared at Garchomp. The little thing was almost two feet shorter than it was! How could it stand a chance against her might? How could anyone stand a chance against her might? Garchomp, as if it were trying to anger her further, continued wearing that sly grin like it was aware of some private joke that Tempest would never discover.

"Nagi, would you come over here please?" Arach asked. Nagi, stunned that Arach had requested his presence, shuffled over to the side of the Grandmaster.

"Y-yes, Grandmaster?" He asked. Arach smiled.

"Please, just call me Arach." He said. Then his expression got serious. "I have an idea of how we can get through to Tempest, but that's going to require my asking of your permission for something."

"What's that?" Nagi asked. Arach gestured over to Garchomp, who was flexing and stretching its muscles.

"I would like to show Tempest exactly why Garchomp is one of my oldest friends. Exactly why size does not matter." He said. Nagi realized what he was asking, and gravely nodded. He glanced over at Tempest, and for a moment something passed between their eyes. From master to Pokemon, a sign of mutual respect. Trodaire noticed it, and felt a glimmer of happiness. There was hope for that big beast after all, perhaps.

Tempest let out another roar, and got ready to run over Garchomp. Arach cleared his throat.

"Now, my dear Tempest, it would seem to me that you think that Garchomp is a few sizes too small for you, is that right?" He asked pleasantly.

Tempest chuckled, nodding its head vigorously. Garchomp maintained a blank expression. Arach continued.

"And it would seem to you that you would squash Garchomp flat if given the chance, is that also correct?" He asked. Tempest was shaking its head so much it was a wonder that the beast wasn't drooling in anticipation. Garchomp maintained a blank expression. Arach chuckled.

"Well then! It's settled. You're clearly serious about this. So we have no choice but to begin." He began to roll up his left sleeve. "And show you, my dear Tempest, just how wrong you are."

Nagi saw the bracelet on Arach's left wrist, and felt his chest heave. No. There's no way. Not a chan-

Arach pressed the button in the middle, and Garchomp's blank expression turned to one of bloodlust as it gestured to its stomach. There was a glowing, and then Garchomp's body began to glow brilliant white. It began to morph, and grow. A purple sphere of unknown energy Then, the purple sphere that surrounded it shattered, and out stepped an entirely new beast.

"GAARRRRRR!" Roared the Mega Garchomp. It's body was now much more muscular and scaly, with spikes adorning its chest and legs. Its arms had changed as well, shaped like blood-red sickles. It had a slightly-crazed expression on its face, brandishing its scythe-hands at Tempest menacingly. The look of shock and awe on the ancient Dragon before it told the entire story. Nagi managed to find his voice.

"B-but how? The secret of the Mega Stone is a Kalos legend! How did you-" He cut himself off, positively enraptured with the sight of this Mega Evolution he had never seen before. Arach smiled pleasantly.

"You are correct, Nagi. Most if not all people outside of Kalos are completely unaware of the process of Mega Evolution. And for the longest time, I didn't care much about it." He then glanced over at Nagi, and winked. "But, my dear Nagi, if there's one thing you must learn: never confuse someone's indifference for actual incompetence." He glanced over at Tempest. "Tempest! This is a chance to prove your strength! Hit my Garchomp with everything you have, and we shall see this goes."

Tempest regained control of itself, and with a roar charged at Garchomp. It had no real plan: just go after that newfangled beast and stomp it until it stopped moving. It lowered its head like a battering ram.

Garchomp took a step back, and then stepped forward and kicked upwards as hard as it could. It connected with Tempest's lowered snout perfectly, and the Rock-Dragon was completely stood up. As it reeled backwards in a daze, Garchomp went to work with its scythe-arms. The way it Slashed and Cut Tempest's soft underbelly was almost surgical. Then, to finish the counter, Garchomp swept its tail around and knocked Tempest off of its feet. There was a loud BANG as the Dragon hit the ground. Arach tsked from the sideline.

"Size is not the be-all, end-all. All Garchomp needs to do is wait for you to make a move, and then he will counter it and hurt you. You can't headbutt all of your problems out of existence."

This continued for several more brutal minutes. Finally, Trodaire whistled a stop. Garchomp had not a scratch on it. Tempest on the other hand, was bloodied and bruised and scraped and cut and looked altogether miserable. Nagi raced over to his felled Dragon, and began applying restorative medicine as best as he could. Arach recalled Garchomp, and then walked over to Nagi and Tempest. Tempest refused to look Arach in the eye, so the Grandmaster spoke to Nagi instead.

"I've fought for a very long time, Nagi." He said. "I've also watched many a battle, too." He looked at Nagi directly in the eye, and the Kalosian felt that he was not just staring at him but at the very essence of his soul. "I'm very interested to see where your career will take you. Goodness knows that Kalos could stand to be a little less stratified, and have someone that everyone can and should cheer for."

There were no words to explain what Nagi felt in that moment.

"Grandmaster, are you leaving then?" Trodaire asked. Arach shook his head.

"Actually, my family and I are on a bit of a vacation. Drasna is taking her vacation leave time, and with both of our daughters getting close to graduating college and/or entering graduate school, we figured we'd spend some time here in Saffron for the foreseeable future."

"What about your commitment to the Dragon Clan?" Trodaire asked with a grin. Arach rolled his eyes.

"They can stand to survive a week or two without my guiding hand. If anything, they should be preparing themselves for the inevitable day when I step down." He said. Paulie was stunned.

"You? Step down? Yeh can't be serious!" He said. Arach chuckled.

"Don't you worry, Paulie. I'll be the Grandmaster for the foreseeable future. But I have chosen my successor." He said.

"Who?" Trodaire asked. Arach winked.

"You'll find out soon enough, Trodaire." He glanced at his watch. "I'd better get back to our cottage. Drasna might send our Arcanine to come drag me back by its teeth." He winked. Then he turned back to Nagi and Tempest. "I fully expect to run into you again before you head back to Kalos, Nagi. And Tempest?...that was an excellent display of resilience. You should be proud of yourself." He gave a motion similar to a light doffing of a hat, and then he was gone.

"He's right." Nagi spoke to Paulie, hands tracing Tempest's snout while she huffed uncertainly about the backhanded praise Arach had delivered to her. "Time and Creation do not exist in stasis. While it isn't now, his time is fading and he is wise enough to not try and hold onto what cannot be kept. Better an orderly transfer of power than a mad scramble for it after things go to Giratina's hell in a handbasket." Tempest got her feet under herself, grumbling. The lesson was sinking in, and was only reinforced when Izanagi came over and plopped his butt on top of her snout, shooting one leg up in the air to nonchalantly clean it. If small Fairy pest could thump her, why should she think small Dragon couldn't? Hadn't she been small Dragon herself not too long ago? Stupid, stupid to forget that. Tempest made a grumbling noise and stood up, ignoring Izanagi's annoyed screech as he slid off her nose and landed on his butt.

Served small Fairy right for being a pain.

Nagi stretched, reaching out and petting Izanagi back into temper while Robina chirped and hopped about in the more open space. Nagi smiled, watching his Pokemon gather themselves up and give Tempest support, but no coddling. She had gotten full of herself, but then again in many ways she was the one he had to rely on when sheer brute force was needed, not subtlety or elemental damage. Google just ignored everything that hit her, Garden and Amber attacked with their mystical skills, or occasionally in Garden's case a well timed thump to something's head. Izanagi and Robina blasted things. Tempest was no holds barred squashing.

"Well, I'm going to assume you learned something today, Tempest-in-a-Teapot?" Nagi murmured, watching Tempest's tail twitch when he called her that. She'd been so small when he found her, but the fits of temper and royal pride had already been there. She often was a small thing wreaking big havoc, thus the joke nickname that had become her real name. She rumbled a bit, but Nagi could see her steady a little, calm down so that she was not so much the whirling destruction of the storm but its eye. Izanagi rolled on the ground, trying to investigate his tail and see if it needed anything. Trodaire laughed at the humorous antics.

"Vain little fellow, aren't you Izzy? Was it really so surprising to see Arach use that Mega evolution? If he's married to one of your Elite Four, it's no surprise he knew about it." Nagi sighed, sitting on the edge of the ring.

"Like I said, it's something we've tried to keep well hidden. For one thing, people would cause a lot of harm to habitats and other people trying to find the stones. I only started collecting them at all because Sycamore was able to figure out how to tune my and Serena's Mega Rings to Anistar's sundial. When the dial glows, it makes it easier for us to locate the stones. Another thing, partnership means different things to different people. Some can't tolerate less than absolute subservience from their Pokemon, and the Mega form is about trust and equality. Another point, people are often afraid of what they don't understand. Lavender Tower exists to give a focal point to Ghost Pokemon and keep them pinned away from the living, doesn't it? How often do people flinch away from Sabrina because of her power even if they don't intend to?" He touched the Ring, tracing the stone. "The ring marks me as different, the stone marks Garden as different from any other Gardevoir except Diantha's. A person can misuse the Mega form."

Trodaire felt like he'd come to the edge of one of Nagi's problems, but that prying at it now would cause more harm than good. Paulie opened his mouth, but was distracted as Nagi's unit chimed with an upbeat sound. Amber poked a button, and they were greeted by the image of a roly-poly young man with an oddly intense expression. He wore a t-shirt with a Vanillish on it and was waving his hands about excitedly.

"Lil' Stag!" Nagi winced at the stupid nickname, and tried to ignore Trodaire's chuckles and Paulie's guffaws in the background. He'd been a lot more childish when he'd picked it, and it had sounded kinda cool. Then the whole mess with Team Flare had happened, and yeah he was still kind of a little stag, just not in the way he'd originally meant. "Lookie, lookie! Dunsparce's really got his groove goin'!" The image flickered to a Dunsparce flopping away like it was trying to learn Splash, and Moltres' glowing pinions did the thing actually have headphones on its head? He caught Trodaire's expression out of the corner of his eye, and had to snicker a little.

"Yeah Tierno, looks like he's rocking out. How's Mawile doing? Still learning her Swords Dance?" Tierno babbled on for a few minutes, then stopped and looked around with a kind of Mareepish expression.

"Oh man, talk about a blown tune! I forgot you were trainin' elsewhere, made a mess of things didn't I? Still…" The holo loomed over Nagi for a second, reminding the other trainer that Tierno actually was bigger then him. "You don't look as down as you did after the parade and everything. Maybe Diantha was right, you just need some space from home for awhile. I'll deliver greetings to the others for ya! I'm out!" With an eager grin the holo cut out. Nagi waited for it, it had to be coming. He wasn't disappointed.

"Lil' Stag?" Trodaire's amusement almost filled the dojo. Nagi scowled a little.

"Shut it, I thought it was cool at the time." He grumbled.

Trodaire chuckled, and held up his hands in mock surrender.

"I never said it wasn't." He said with a smile. "It sure beats Troddie." He added with a wink, leaving an indignant Paulie to blubber about how betrayed that made him feel to hear. Trodaire pointed towards the Holo Caster on Nagi's wrist. "Was that one of your friends?" He asked. Nagi sighed.

"Yeah. Tierno. Not much of a battler, but then again he and his team never really cared much for it. They're more into dancing." Nagi said. Trodaire laughed.

"I could see that. I doubt I've ever seen a Dunsparce dancing before, but then again I shouldn't exactly be a skeptic. Too many crazy things happening in this world to be otherwise." He raised an eyebrow. "Do you talk to your friends a lot?" He asked. Nagi shrugged.

"I did. Haven't really since I came here, though." Nagi said. Trodaire kept his eyebrow raised.

"Is everything okay with all of them?" He asked.

"Fine." Nagi's reponse was curt, and Trodaire was wise enough to know that he shouldn't push. He smiled a little bit as the Fighting Trio and Paulie took to cleaning up the Fight Club for the night.

"Good. Because friends are important, Nagi. They keep us from going crazy, and they help push us to be better forms of ourselves." He said. Nagi raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have any friends from back home?" Nagi asked. Trodaire paused. There was a slightly pained expression on his face.

"Yeah. I had one." He said. Nagi pressed.

"What happened?" He asked. Trodaire shrugged.

"A parting of the ways." He said, though it was clear that he was being as polite as possible to what was clearly a hurt memory. "I went one way, and he went another." He shrugged. "But that's the passage of time, I suppose. Which is why it's all the more important that you keep your friends close. Because just like that they can be gone." He sighed, and then clapped his hands in a rather obvious attempt to change the mood and the subject. "You hungry, Nagi?" He asked. Nagi shrugged.

"Uh…a little." He said. "Why?"

"Well, I'm headed back home to Sabrina's for a little get-together she's having, and I figured it might be fun if you came too! There's gonna be some really powerful and nice trainers there. And I know that Amber and Garden would do well to spend some time under the tutelage of Alakazam." He noted the excited expressions on the faces of the two Psychics as they realized that they might be meeting with that grandfatherly (if somewhat eccentric) Psychic type that had graced their presence earlier. He may have smacked Amber around, but who cares? It wasn't every day that you got to interact with an Alakazam.

Nagi shrugged.

"Uh, I'm not sure. I mean, I just got here and…" he trailed off when he saw the adorable Growlithe-like faces that his entire team was making at him. Even Tempest was getting in on the act, though a Tyrantrum trying to look cute has the inadvertent side-effect of looking completely fucking terrifying. Nagi sighed, a sardonic smile on his face. For his team, then. "All right, I think we'll go."

"Great!" Trodaire said, grabbing his coat. He turned to Paulie. "Give Bettie a kiss on the cheek for me, will ya Paulie! We'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning." He said. He glanced at Nagi. "I'm having another old friend come in for a sparring session. You should come in for that, too!" He said.

Nagi shrugged.

"If you say so." He said. Nagi was more concerned about not being overwhelmed and/or embarrassed in heading towards Sabrina's mansion, even though Trodaire promised that he'd walk over with him. But the Orrean seemed happy that the Kalosian was willing to take a chance, and who knows? He might even enjoy himself.

Trodaire was also happy that the Kalosian was coming, because that meant that he'd be in close proximity to Sabrina. And Trodaire would be lying if he said that he thought Sabrina wouldn't be able to read some of Nagi's more complex emotions. Trodaire was good at figuring out people, but it was becoming clear to him that Nagi would need training of another kind from someone with an entirely different field of experience. More psychological then physical.

After recalling the sextet of Pokemon under his command, Nagi followed Trodaire out of the building and onto the streets of Saffron City. Trodaire gestured towards the bright lights of the skyline, and let out a contented sigh.

"You know, when I was little, I never thought that this place was real. I'd only seen pictures of it in old dusty brochures and figured that the artist was kind of exaggerating." The Orrean said. "But now that I'm here…it's even better than I expected."

"You should see the Prism tower." Nagi mumbled before he could stop himself. Trodaire heard him, turned and smiled.

"I think I might just consider that, Lil' Stag." He said with a wink. Nagi rolled his eyes, and smiled nonetheless.

"Whatever you say, Troddie." He said. Satisfied that he had clearly gotten Trodaire's Gogoat, he started laughing as they walked down the street.

They took a left off of the main street, and were now walking into the suburban area of Saffron that was more trees and forest than just glass and steel and technology. Nagi closed his eyes as they walked, and for a moment imagined himself back in Kalos. Back home, before he had a Pokemon and before he knew of fire-haired extremists and towering men with nothing but hurt in their eyes.

/_Do you want to know unending pain…like I have?/_

Stop it. Not now. Not here. He was going to have fun with this nice Orrean and his supposed friends. Who were these friends that Trodaire referred to, anyway?

Trodaire seemed to notice that Nagi was bothered by something, and then he spoke.

"You okay, buddy?"

Buddy. Nagi had never been called something like that before. It seemed so innocently caring. He liked it. It was enough to make him forget the pain.

"Yeah…yeah I'm fine." He said.

"Ok." Trodaire said. But he wasn't convinced.

Nagi was blown away by the size of the mansion. It sat in the middle of an opening in the forest, and it rose on a slight mound so that its tallest spire was taller than the tree line. For a moment Nagi was reminded of that rich buffoon and his Furfrou in their castle, but there was something different about this manor. It felt…happy. Warm. Like it had spent a long time in deep freeze and had only just been thawed out. Wait, how could houses feel like they had…well…feelings?

Nagi decided not to ponder metaphysics in inanimate objects as Trodaire knocked on the door. It opened, and Sabrina stood before them.

"Hey." She said with a smile as she made eye contact with her boyfriend. Then she glanced over. "Hello, Nagi! Trodaire here told me you and your team were coming. Come in, come in. You can let them out and look about the house. Arceus knows that there's plenty of space in this building." She gestured to the sprawling main hallway that they were currently in. By his guess, Nagi figured that there were at least three floors to the place, and maybe about fifteen rooms too many. But again, this place didn't seem stuck up and snobbish.

It seemed open and inviting.

So he let out all six of his Pokemon. Robina soared up into the rafters, chirping contentedly as it prepared to take a nap. Izanagi seemed fairly impressed, and then proceeded to walk over to the main hallway fireplace and curl up in front of it. Goodra seemed petrified of making a mess, so she carefully stayed as close to the center of the hallway as possible. Tempest lumbered off into the garden, where Trodaire promised that there would be Pokemon for it to play with. Amber and Garden were actively looking around, clearly trying to find Alakazam. Sabrina read their minds easily, and then smiled.

"Come with me, you two. I'll take you up to his study. Arceus knows he hasn't left the place in a long time."

Privately, Trodaire and Nagi exchanged a dumbfounded look. The look clearly was shared: Alakazam has its own private study?

"How do you not know that?" Nagi hissed, guessing correctly that Trodaire had been thinking what he thought he thought he was thinking. Trodaire shrugged.

"I dunno!" He whispered. "I still get lost in this place." He said.

"And yet you can still find the kitchen." Sabrina chided him without even turning around. Trodaire sheepishly shrugged, and Nagi chuckled.

They went up several flights of stairs, and Nagi was forced to correct his original hypothesis. There were five stories to this building. Finally, they came in front of an old and faded wooden door. Sabrina was about to knock, when a voice entered all of their heads.

"_Just come in. I don't want you to disturb my near-breakthrough._" Annoyed, Sabrina opened the door.

It was essentially a mini-library, with each wall crammed with bookshelves. Nagi was flabbergasted at the sight of so many of them suspended in mid-air, their pages half turned. They were all tomes of the arcane, and myth books, and historical journals, and biographies…all about history. But for what?

Then Nagi looked in the center of the room, and saw what Alakazam was up to. It was pacing the floor, its brow furrowed in thought and its left hand rubbing underneath its chin in concentration. In its right hand it twirled one of its spoons. Sitting in the middle of the floor was the Alakazamite. Without looking up or stopping its pacing, Alakazam spoke.

"_I must confess that this mysterious element that you have left in our care has proven most intriguing, Master Nagi._" Alakazam said. "_I have spent many an hour consulting books and tomes concerning Kalos history to see if I could in fact crack the code, but I must say that it has done a good job hiding its secrets from me._"

"Wait…you've read all of these books?" Nagi asked, gesturing to all of the books floating in the air. Alakazam smirked, though it did not stop pacing.

"_Not necessarily. I am both reading them and have read them. All of them being processed or in the process of processing. If my process is easily processed, that is._"

Nagi and Trodaire just sweat-dropped. Sabrina rolled her eyes.

"He means that he's reading them all at the same time." She explained. Alakazam glanced up, and noticed Nagi's Mega Ring bracelet.

"_Aha! I think there may be something in that!_" He said. Sabrina rolled her eyes.

"Look, Alakazam, can we do this another time? Misty, Janine, Brock and Erika are all gonna be here soon and I don't want you blowing up the house like you did last time!"

Despite himself, Alakazam smirked again.

"_Please, My Lady. I only combusted this wing of the mansion._" He bowed graciously towards Nagi. "_Master Nagi, if it wouldn't be too much, could you let me see that contraption on your wrist? Just toss it towards me._"

Nagi acquiesced, and tossed the Mega Ring towards Alakazam. It was surrounded in Psychic energy halfway there, and Alakazam guided it into his palm.

"_Interesting…_" It mused. "_So it involves a little bit of this, and that…and yet still it perplexes! Though at the very least I have an idea._" He looked at Nagi again. "_Master Nagi, is this 'Mega Ring' as you've called it encoded into your deoxyribonucleic acidic structure?_"

Nagi just stared at him. Sabrina coughed.

"He means is it only usable by you." She clarified. Nagi nodded in understanding, and then shrugged.

"I don't think so. Why?"

Wordlessly, Alakazam tossed the Mega Ring over to Sabrina. She caught it, and then came the Alakazamite.

_"Put that Alakazamite in the Ring, and then we shall see what happens!_" Alakazam sounded giddy. Nagi raised an eyebrow.

"It has to be a mutual reaction between the trainer and the Pokemon, and I don't think you're both in the right state of mi-"

The Mega Ring began to glow, and Alakazam smiled as it was encased in a purple sphere of energy.

"Make it stop!" Trodaire shouted. Sabrina tried pulling the Mega Ring off. But it was too late.

There was an explosion of light.

When the dust settled, the three humans, one Delphox and one Gardevoir (and a thankful Goodra that she hadn't been the source of the calamity) glanced up at what they saw.

Alakazam brushed itself off. Its head had changed to a tri-horned structure instead of just two like before. Its whiskers were now transformed into a white and flowing beard. Its attire had changed too, as now it appeared to be wearing purple magician's robes. There were now five spoons hovering over Alakazam's head. It's eyes were closed.

Then, Alakazam's eyes snapped open. It glanced at its new body, and then looked up to the roof. Through the skylight, he saw a single shooting star.

"_Scintillate, scintillate diminutive stellar orb. How inexplicable to me seems this stupendous problem of your existence. Elevated at such an immeasurable distance, in an apparently perpendicular direction from this terrestrial planet in which we occupy. Resembling in thy dazzling and unapproachable effulgence, a gem of purest carbon, set solitaire in a university of space._"

Alakazam was not finished. He glanced at the calendar (as it was mid-December in Saffron, though the snow had not really fallen at all yet) and spoke again towards the entire group.

"_I wonder if I might crave your momentary indulgence in order ot discharge a by no means disagreeable obligation which has, over the years, become more or less established practice in government service as we approach the terminal period of the year – calendar, of course, not financial – in fact, not to put too fine a point on it, Week Fifty-One – and submit to you, with all appropriate deference, for your consideration at a convenient juncture, a sincere and sanguine expectation – indeed confidence – indeed one might go so far as to say hope – that the aforementioned period may be, at the end of the day, when all relevant factors have been taken into consideration, susceptible to being deemed to be such as to merit a final verdict of having been by no means unsatisfactory in its overall outcome and, in the final analysis, to give grounds for being judged, on mature reflection, to have been conducive to generating a degree of gratification which will be seen in retrospect to have been significantly higher than the general average._"

Silence.

Sabrina, her face completely expressionless, voiced everyone's thoughts.

"We've got to fucking change him back."

And because Arceus' sense of humor is absolutely sadistic, that was the moment that the doorbell rang.

Nagi sighed, wondering why the Legends seemed to enjoy tormenting him. For that matter, why had the evolution worked? Mega evolution was supposed to happen only in battle, when emotions were both running high and more likely to sync up. Then he remembered.

_'Both of you have been exposed to the energies from those two. I think I can use it to upgrade the Rings._' Nagi made a half hysterical noise. Yveltal curse Augustine Sycamore to Giratina's pits, the man might have WARNED him that the ring could react in new ways other than lighting up every mega stone for five miles like a little beacon! Garden made a kind of meeping noise in agreement or maybe panic, and Amber's muttered 'Phox's sounded like she was thinking of barbequing a certain Professor. Trodaire looked over at Nagi, keeping an eye on Mega Alakazam.

"Did you think of something?" Nagi gulped.

"I told you today Sycamore tuned the Rings to the Sundial. I think he might accidentally have jacked it up to where it's become… finicky about having other people wield it." Sabrina groaned, covering her eyes.

"Great, just great. I have an over-wordy uber form of Alakazam, guests, and no idea how to undo this. What did I do that was so horrible as to deserve this?" To prove the universe's sense of cruel punishment, the doorbell rang again more demandingly. With a grin, Mega Alakazam Teleported. Nagi whimpered, figuring that it was headed one direction and one direction only. The door.

"Horned One's cruel mercy, I am going to wring that Professor's neck like a Torchic's. Or have Tempest eat him." He started for the stairs, hearing Mega Alakazam launching into the same spiel again, sounding positively giddy. There was dead silence. Then an offended wail rose up the stairs to hurry them all down them.

"SYLVEON!"

Things might have remained quiet and confused downstairs until the rest could get down there and try to corral and un-mega Alakazam, but Izanagi's sensitive nose had picked up the lingering aroma of Poison coming from Janine. It was an offense to his Fairy dignity, no one had TOLD him a horrible person who used those nasty Poison types was going to be there! His caterwauling woke Robina, who started screeching, first at him, then at Mega Alakazam because she was fairly certain he wasn't supposed to be there. Tempest heard small Fairy pest wailing like he was being skinned and tromped inside, torn between watching and laughing or eating whatever was upsetting small Fairy pest. As per the laws of nature, one large Rock-Dragon lizard appearing in a building caused chaos.

"What is THAT?! And someone shut that… whatever it is up!" Janine was clearly as unenamored of Izanagi as he was of her. Brock was giving Tempest heart eyes, causing her to rumble with nerves and back up a little. Small squinty man radiated some kind of vibe that got on her nerves. Tempest looked at where Izanagi was doing his best to fuzz up and hiss and decided discretion in this case was indeed the better part of valor. She hightailed it back outside, where it was safe from screechy females and squinty-eyed man. Erika blinked, while Misty raised an eyebrow.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I did just see something that looked kind of like a Dragonite's bazillion times great-grandparent just retreat out the door from Brock?" Misty murmured to Erika. The Grass gym leader nodded.

"Yes, yes you did. 50 yen it was female." Misty snorted.

"Sucker's bet there. What the heck happened to Alakazam? I mean, I thought they couldn't evolve further?" Mega Alakazam turned his head towards her, a twinkle in his eye.

"_Indeed, in the normal purity and logistical laws of this plane of physics, matter, and dimensional warps and wefts with some regard to how, when and if certain matters of biological impetus in the areas of hormonal growth and reconfiguration nominally ruled by what at best might be considered perfected copies or facets of the alpha template in more amusing and apt patterns indicating that particular sub-templates usage in the greater median of the alpha templates figurative, spatial and cognitive reasoning my own template has reached its maximum output and in theory cannot be altered further. However, when the Beedrill principle is taken into account, it appears that certain apparatuses exist which can alter the original patterns and force a temporal shift into a higher but most likely unstable template of limited use except for the precision application of higher level trauma upon unknowing templates that were not capable of enough foresight to prepare for any and all methods of underhanded sportsmanship_." Several pairs of eyes looked uncomprehending at Mega Alakazam.

"What the fuck does that mean?" They all asked at once.

"No time to explain!" Trodaire shouted, having leapt out from the shadows and began hastily pushing Mega Alakazam into the library, as it continued to wax philosophic about life, the universe, and all of existence's persistent and pertinent questions. Sabrina stood before her friends, took a deep breath, and tried to pretend that nothing had happened.

"Uh…hi guys." She said. Everyone (with the exception of Brock, who was still hoping to see that majestic Rock-Dragon again) stared at her with suspicious eyebrows.

"What's…going on, Sabrina?" Erika asked. Sabrina shrugged.

"Nothing!" She said. "There's nothing out of the ordinary here!" She said.

Arceus, she was a terrible liar.

"Reeeeeeally?" Misty asked. She pointed to Izanagi, who was still hissing at Janine like she was a demon. Janine, for her part, wasn't doing anything to dissuade the Eeveelution from that opinion.

"Then what's that? Some new Eevee evolution?"

"Yeah." Nagi said, finally racing down the stairs. He scooped Izanagi onto his shoulder and began to pet the thing so that he would calm down.

"Who are you?" Brock asked, momentarily breaking out of his reverie. "I don't think we've met before. I'm Brock, the gym leader of Pewter City."

"Hi Brock. I'm Nagi, a…trainer from Kalos. I'm Trodaire's latest pupil at the Fight Club." He said sheepishly. "I take it you're Sabrina's friends."

"And Trodaire's!" Misty said in a bubbly voice. "And anyone that's a friend of Trodaire and Sabrina is a friend of ours!" She walked close to Nagi and leaned over a bit so that she was at eye level with Izanagi. "Did mean ol' Janine make you afraid, little guy?" She asked in a babyish voice. Izanagi, unaccustomed to being pampered quite like this, let out a satisfied purr. Nagi rolled his eyes. Good grief, was he a spoiled little thing.

"Nagi is a nice name." Erika said. "I'm Erika, the Gym Leader of Celadon City. The girl that's fawning over your…what is it?" She asked.

"It's a Sylveon." Nagi clarified.

"Sylveon, right." Erika continued. "The girl that's currently fawning over it is Misty. She's the Gym Leader of Cerulean City."

"And this sourpuss giving your Sylveon the hate-eyes is Janine." Brock said with a chuckle, getting an elbow in the gut for his troubles. "She's the Gym Leader of Fuchsia City." He managed to wheeze.

"N-nice to meet you." Nagi said. He'd started his journey with a few close friends, and they were all children who dreamed of big adventures. Now he was hob-nobbing with Gym Leaders? Gym Leaders from Kanto, of all places?

His life was truly and completely unpredictable.

"Soo…what's the plan, Rina?" Misty asked, as she scratched Sylveon behind the ears. Izanagi normally never let anyone do this to him, so the fact that he was letting Misty do this was a remarkable sign of trust. Maybe Misty was just that good with cute things?

"Well, I was gonna have Alakazam cook us his famous gumbo…but seeing as how he's currently trying to unravel the mysteries of the universe, I think we'll just order pizza instead." Sabrina admitted. This was met with enthusiastic approval from the group, so as soon as an exhausted Trodaire had emerged from the library (he had, in his frustration, yelled at Alakazam to compute pi so that he would shut up for a little bit) Sabrina had him go to the local joint to pick up their order. Brock sidled up close to Nagi, and made a "wha-kssh!" noise with his mouth while his hand pantomimed cracking a whip.

Nagi liked him already.

To be honest, Nagi had no idea what it was that Gym Leaders did on their off time. He assumed that some of them, like, slept in a coffin or something. Not only did they not do that, but they gathered at each others' houses and chatted it up. It was weird. He had no idea if every Gym Leader group was this tight, but the group he was with were practically brothers and sisters in their closeness.

And they made him feel involved, too. They peppered him with questions. What was Kalos like? Where did he live? What was his first Pokemon? Did he make a lot of friends on his journey? What were the Gym Leaders like in Kalos? Were they not nearly as cool as us? (Misty asked that one.) What's it like to have Fairy Type Pokemon? Do you have a Fairy Type? OMG, THAT MAKES HIM EVEN CUTER! (Misty said that one.)

Nagi felt his head spinning, so a chuckling Trodaire spoke up.

"Give the kid a break, guys. He's fielded more questions now than Lance ever will in his lifetime." He said. The mood of the table changed from genuine interest to full-on gossip mode, and now Trodaire was in the eye of the hurricane.

"Speaking of him, did you know what he's been up to the past few weeks?" Misty asked, a sly grin on her face.

"No. I don't really follow Lance's career path." Trodaire admitted.

"He went to the Charicific Valley to train." Janine said curtly. "Personally I don't see what the big deal is about the place, but-"

"But it's hardcore, that's what." Brock said. "Misty and I have a friend who has a Charizard that trained there for a really long time, and the difference between it before it went to the Valley and after is literally night and day." He said.

Nagi noticed that Misty blushed a little bit when Brock said "friend."

"What're you getting at?" Trodaire asked. Erika shrugged.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted a rematch with Steven in the near future." She said. Trodaire let out a whistle.

"Well. Wouldn't that be something, huh?" He said. Sabrina raised an eyebrow.

"Has Steven talked to you about facing him again?" She asked.

"Yeah, but he doesn't think that Lance will pull the trigger." Trodaire explained. "Also, Steven's enjoying married life at the moment. Lance wouldn't want to impose on that."

"I think that's a moot point, considering Cynthia is attached to his hip everywhere they go." Erika said.

"Seriously. Those two are so in love it's absolutely sickening." Janine said with a wrinkled nose. "I mean good for them proving that love still exists in this world but yeuck!" She spat on the ground in a very un-ninja-like moment.

"Ok, fine." Trodaire conceded. "I guess it is always a possibility, isn't it? I'll just have to keep my ears peeled. Remember, I told Steven if he ever needs my help, he can just ask. Same goes for anyone I train." He knocked back a swig of Krabby Cola. "But it's not me that's battling here: it's Steven and Lance."

"Don't you ever want to change that?" Erika asked.

"What do you mean?" Trodaire asked. Sabrina shrugged.

"Have you ever considered getting a Pokemon of your own?" She asked. Trodaire was confused.

"I have three. Well, technically four." He said. Sabrina rolled her eyes.

"For the last time, honey, the three stooges don't count. They're on loan from Bruno. It's just because they're so good at what they do there that he lets them stay. And Conks is still Bettie's Pokemon." She looked contemplative. "I know a lot of good breeders. I'm sure they could find you something."

"I appreciate that, but if I ever get a Pokemon, it's gotta be more…organic than that." Trodaire said. "I want it to really feel like it knows me. Hell, it's probably like being a father or a mother, isn't it?" He asked. He poured himself a shot from the bottle of whiskey in the middle of the table (Nagi wasn't allowed to touch it, obviously), and gulped it down. The Kalos native thought he heard Trodaire mumble something under his breath.

"And what would I know about being a father? I never had one."

"Hey, Misty, how's the taming of the beast going?" Brock asked. Misty shrugged.

"Oh, it's fine. He's really coming along. Still kind of a pain in the ass, but a mother has to love all of her babies and be patient with them." Misty said. The others nodded in understanding. Nagi didn't know what she was talking about, but figured that it had to be a Pokemon. Brock turned to Nagi.

"How about that big thing lumbering about outside?" He asked, pointing out the window. Nagi turned, and rolled his eyes as Tempest was currently pressing its snout against the window, staring at the food with hearts in her eyes. She looked so pathetic that the others didn't scream from the sight of a prehistoric monster smushing its face against the glass. Maybe because everything looks funny when smashed against a plate-glass window.

"She's a bit of a hassle." He said flatly. "Trodaire has been working really hard with her though."

"And she is showing a lot of improvement." The Orrean said. "Arach doesn't just compliment anyone. If he gave even that much praise to Tempest, then you know that she can be awesome."

At that moment, everyone took a sip from their cups. Naturally, because this set-up was too good to waste, Erika chose that moment to drop the bomb.

"Sooo…I heard that Lance is dating someone?" She said.

Cue collective spit take.

"What." Sabrina said. It wasn't even a question. She was so dumbfounded that she couldn't even emote an inflection. It spoke for everyone else, too. They all had these slightly brain-dead expressions on their faces as if their heads had shut off. Nagi was unaffected, but silently wished that he had a camera so that he could capture this moment for eternity. Erika took a bite out of her veggie slice, and spoke again.

"Yeah! I heard about it from my acquaintance Falkner from Violet City. He's the Gym Leader there, and one night he was out with…" She trailed off when she saw Janine making frantic throat cutting gestures, "a friend when he saw Lance sitting at some little café across the street with some really pretty, really tall girl with green hair. From the looks of it, they seemed pretty close!" She shrugged. "But since he doesn't exactly talk to people outside of his circle, maybe she doesn't even exist."

"I dunno. It's been a crazy couple of months." Brock said. "After all, Gary Oak just up and retired from competitive battling so that he could be a researcher like his grandpa. So that leaves a void for the Johto Champion…or is it the Kanto Champion? I can never tell who's in charge for that thing."

"Yeah, it's pretty confusing sometimes." Misty said. "Because we haven't even factored Red into the picture yet."

"I've kept it simple in my mind: the committees that put these tournaments together just throw together the strongest active trainers that they think will sell the most tickets and pay-per-views, and go from there." Sabrina said.

Everyone agreed that this was a fair assessment.

"You think Alder will come out of retirement?" Misty asked.

"Nah. He's having too much in retirement, playing golf with Arach whenever he isn't wandering the world." Janine said. "I heard that the Kalos Champions League is considering sending Diantha."

"That actor?" Erika asked. "I mean, she's a lovely actress, but is she really that tough of a trainer?" She asked.

"No, she's not." Nagi said quietly. Everyone turned to look at him.

"Why do you say that?" Brock asked. Nagi just shrugged.

"Because I beat her. I'm the currently active champion of Kalos."

Cue spit take number two. Well, from everyone except Trodaire and Sabrina. Janine's jaw was threatening to land in her pizza. Erika looked mildly baffled, and Misty and Brock recovered fairly quickly. They shared a look, one that came from traveling with Red, watching him grow. Nagi didn't have the same feeling as Red, but perhaps that was what kept him down to earth and approachable. He didn't read like someone who had never known defeat.

In comparison, Red was like Arceus had decided to have the PokeGod equivalent of a drunken frat boy party and somehow sired a mortal offspring that the God was intent on not acknowledging. Then again, that might explain why Red's father never entered the picture. Nagi couldn't help but smile at their expressions.

"Well, one of two if you want to get technical. Still, I don't think Serena would challenge me if I decided to claim sole rights. She really only has one Pokemon I don't have an exact counter for, and I don't think Meowstic likes being flung twenty feet into a tree by Tempest's tail much. At least, she sure yowled about it the last time we crossed paths and battled. That, and she's content to sit up in that tower with Korrina and her gramps sifting through the mysteries of the past." He took a sip of his cola, watching Garden and Amber amuse themselves outside by levitating several extra pizzas Sabrina had paid for and flinging them into Tempest's maw. Some of the lunges the Tyrantrum was making to catch her dinner were truly hilarious.

He and Serena had chosen different paths. She had withdrawn into studying the history of Mega evolution, he had continued to grow and battle. When AZ had stepped out into the parade grounds, the crowd parting like the seas around him, Serena had shaken her head to his challenge. She was done with it all, she wanted no part in that battle. Nagi had stepped forward alone to answer.

He couldn't blame her, half the time he wanted to hide from what he'd seen himself.

"Tauros-shit." Janine seemed to have found her voice again. "You're too young. She's a Champion, they don't get beaten by little boys barely old enough to let go of their mother's apron strings." Nagi raised an eyebrow.

"And I suppose everyone just humors the Boy From the Mountain about how he ripped through the League like it was made of Spinarak silk and handed Lance his ass like it was nothing? That he couldn't have done it?" Something cold surfaced in Nagi's eyes. "Diantha is weak. She held the title as long as she did only because the Elite Four are almost nightmarishly strong in comparison. Do you know how much training she's done since Serena and I handed her team their pride and dignity?" He paused for only a few seconds.

"None. She's finished filming her part in the current remake of the Unovan legend about how their Dragon legends came to be, thrown herself into the role of a kidnapped store clerk who falls in love with her kidnappers and has three other confirmed roles in the works and two she's considering. Her Tyrantrum outweighs Tempest by a good fifty pounds, but it's all fat and no muscle. She goes to her favorite café so that her adoring public can see her, and makes little speeches about how well everything is going." Trodaire could see Nagi's knuckles whitening where he'd balled one hand into a fist.

"She's plateau-ed. She can't hold her title like she is, and she won't give up or slow down on her acting to make an effort to get better and keep it. She won't face problems herself, she'll just bury her head in the sand and hope someone else deals with them. She's shallow and stagnant and everything I hate about the upper class of Kalos. I won, and her response to that was to pretty much dump every duty on me without any explanation and go back to her play-acting except for continuing to hold the title. The only reason she hasn't let THAT go is 'it might make us appear weak to the other countries'. Appearance, appearance, appearance, that's all that matters to her." He bit his lip, stemming the bitter tirade at Janine and Erika's blasted looks. Nagi hadn't meant to rant about it, but it had just tumbled out like Dwebble's did out of their shells sometimes. To his surprise, Brock clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Sounds like you've got rights to be mad, kid. And if Trodaire can terrorize your team into shape you'll kick enough butt in the matches that no one'll question the strength of Kalos' current Champ. Right? Right! So let's let the heavy stuff drop and get back to a lighthearted meal with all that entails!" Misty nodded, laughing.

"Yeah, you'd think we were a bunch of Yamasks with how heavy the atmosphere's gotten in here! So, just what did you do to Rina's Alakazam?" Nagi groaned, knowing that was going to come back up.

"If you want to get right down to it, she did it not me. It's… something that we still don't really understand over in Kalos, and I think Professor Sycamore messed something up because it really in theory can't be done outside of battle. The fact that he's still in there computing pi is in direct contradiction to anything and everything I know about it." Nagi watched a few slices of pizza levitate by. "Though he apparently still needs to eat while computing." Erika chuckled a little, and Brock raised an eyebrow.

"So, what other Pokemon does this happen to?" Nagi looked thoughtful, and Trodaire leaned forward to listen.

"That I've seen off the top of my head? Gardevoir, Garchomp, Absol, Lucario. I know Houndoom and Pinsir can, I think Manectric and Aggron can as well." He didn't lie, but he didn't add in that he'd seen Gyarados and Charizard do it as well. Nagi wasn't ready to think about it. Trodaire blinked and grinned.

"Aggron can do that? Could you imagine the look on Lance's face?" Everyone had a good chuckle at that thought. Lance gaping even more than he had when he'd lost to Steven Stone was a priceless mental image.

After the chuckle, Janine raised an eyebrow.

"Well, now that we've all thought of different uber versions of Aggron stomping on Dragonite again, any ideas on how to get Alakazam back to normal?" Nagi sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

"I'm open to suggestions."

"_You could have just asked._" Everyone did a double take as Alakazam walked into the room, munching on a slice of pizza. It now looked like its normal self, and there was no longer a multitude of kitchenware spinning around its head.

"Whuh-howdid-why?" Sabrina managed to sputter out. Alakazam shrugged nonchalantly.

"_I imagine that, though the circumstances of my change were different than the norm, the basic principle of egress applies: wait long enough, and eventually it will peter out_." Alakazam said. Trodaire looked like his brain was gonna ooze out of his ears. He feebly raised a finger.

"But…I…I told you to compute PI!" He said.

"_Oh, that?_" Alakazam waved its hand dismissively. "_I finished that shortly after you told me to start, Master Trodaire. It was a relatively simple process._"

"Then what have you been doing all of that time since you changed?" Sabrina asked.

"_Things_." Alakazam said. "_I apologize for not being more specific, but I think that I could only explain what exactly it was that I was doing while I was in my heightened state_."

"…Because that was so clear originally." Janine muttered under her breath. Alakazam smiled.

"_At any rate, I am off to prepare my specialty apple pie. I hope you've all saved room?_" The enthusiastic response the Psychic type got gave it a smile. It turned around and walked through the door. But then Trodaire heard its voice in his head.

"_When you have the best convenience, Master Trodaire and My Lady Sabrina, meet me in the kitchen. I have things to discuss with you pertaining to young master Nagi._"

Trodaire glanced over, and by the way Sabrina had straightened up in her chair it was clear that she had heard that message too. They shared a furtive glance, nodded slightly in understanding, and both began to brainstorm ways to occupy the other guests while they rendezvoused with Alakazam. Thankfully for them, Erika offered up that distraction.

"Hey guys, I was kind of hoping to let some of my Pokemon get some exercise out in Sabrina's yard, and I'm sure that that massive Pokemon that Nagi has would like the extra company." She said. Nagi smiled.

"Heh, I think she'd have more fun chasing them all down and attacking them, but I think that a multitude of Gym Leaders along with me can keep her in check." He said. Brock let out a burp, and then laughed.

"I like it! I have more than a couple of Rock types that your Tyrantrum would like playing with, and they're tough enough to take a beating without it seriously injuring them." He smiled. Misty nodded.

"I'll watch you guys. I might bring out some of my Water types, but there's not much the others would be able to do on the lake." She said. Janine also agreed, and before long the group had all shoved off from the table and began headed to the outside porch so they could head down to the ground. Trodaire and Sabrina both made different excuses to explain why they couldn't come down right away, and then both made a bee-line for the kitchen.

Alakazam was in front of the sink, a pink Kiss the Psychic apron on it and a rolling pin for the flour in its hands. It didn't turn around when it began speaking.

"_I was granted many a gift while in my Mega form, you two._" It began. "_I was able to see things, things that I never would have been able to in my earlier form. At least, not with the discreet ability I was granted just recently. To be specific, I was mind-snooping_."

In a panic, Trodaire grabbed at his hand. Alakazam snorted.

"_Relax, Master Trodaire, I did not probe yours anymore than I needed to. The true focus of my scrying was young Master Nagi. And to be honest, it was a bit of a trip. For starters, he has some very, very powerful blocks in place that safeguard his most private and intimate memories. This is striking to me because no child of that age should have that capability…unless…_"

"Unless that child is suffering from a form of PTSD?" Sabrina finished. Alakazam shook its head.

"_I never understand you humans and your need for acronyms and euphemisms, when the plain truth is the best way to confront something. A simple 'shell shock' will do. And yes, it would seem that young Master Nagi is suffering from a form of shell shock. It pertains to something he witnessed, very recently._"

It turned around to face the duo, a pained look in its eye.

"_Specifically, young Master Nagi witnessed the death of a Pokemon. One of his own, in fact._"

This fact hung in the air like a storm cloud. Sabrina took a deep breath, and spoke.

"Did you find out which one, or under what circumstances?" She asked. Alakazam shook its head.

"_Unfortunately, my time as a Mega was dwindling before I could really start digging. That, and I respect the young boy's innermost privacy. If he's going to open up, it's going to be of his own volition and not because I forcibly extracted the memories from his head. That's a nasty bit of business, memory extraction. There's a reason only the most trained Psychics are allowed that job, and I must say that I am not qualified._"

"Is there anything that you learned that could help?" Trodaire asked. At this, Alakazam scratched its head in thought.

"_There were…names. And faces. They didn't have any context, but this is what I was able to scrape together._" It took a deep breath, and it dove back into what it had seen. "_I see…a man. He is tall, with hair the color of fire. He wears dark clothing, and there is a broken look in his eye. But just underneath the surface of these pained eyes, what remains of his soul is gone. He is an evil man, and it makes me shudder to think of him. Then, there is another man. He towers over this red-haired man. I would not be surprised if he were close to ten feet tall. He covers his face with a red skullcap, and his white hair flows down to his hips. His eyes tell of a soul that is unspeakably old. And he keeps saying the same thing over and over again: 'Do you want to know unending pain, as I have?_'"

"Whoa." Trodaire said quietly. Alakazam held up its hand.

"_That's not all. There are names as well. There is…Lysandre…AZ…there is a Gyarados, and it is nightmarish and terrifying in Nagi's mind. Unlike any of the beasts I have ever seen before, and I have seen many a Gyarados. Then there is…a name attached to what I imagine is a Pokemon. It is called…Charm. But I cannot even call forth what kind of Pokemon it was, because there is so much pain and anger and sadness surrounding that memory that if I were to pry Nagi would have found out what I was doing and resisted, and an attempt to resist me in that state might have given him a fatal aneurysm. I have to assume that this 'Charm' is the Pokemon that young Master Nagi has lost, and I would advise against prompting him to remember this being without his permission. It could trigger severe depressive episodes_." It sighed. "_That boy has seen and been a part of something that no child should ever have to go through, and he still carries his burdens like barbed wire on his back._" It sighed, and finished folding the crust of its pie.

"Maybe we need to train him in a different way than just what I've been doing." Trodaire said. Sabrina raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Trodaire shrugged.

"Well, you've got a thing for Zen-like meditation, maybe you can help him relax, and then I can bond with him outside of your shrink sessions? While I'm training his team, that is." He said. Sabrina looked skeptical.

"We seem to be assuming an awful lot about what we think is gonna work." She said. Trodaire shook his head.

"There's something special about this kid, Sabrina. And I'm not gonna let whatever he witnessed rot him out from the inside. It isn't fair to him or the gifts he's been given." He said firmly.

"Is this about him…or is about purging something that gnaws at you?" Sabrina asked soothingly, noticing that Trodaire's emotions were spiking.

"Both, Arceus damn it!" Trodaire shouted. "I refuse to let the shit that this world throws at us pull him into the muck. I refuse to let him live like I did, because no life is supposed to be lived in fear and insecurity and doubt."

"_You see something in the boy that reminds you of you?_" Alakazam asked.

"Yes! And so help me Arceus, I will never, ever give up on him! Do you hear me? EVER!" He said. He sighed, and Sabrina took that opportunity to pull him into a cool-down hug. As they embraced, Trodaire spoke again. "We've heard what's been bugging him. He feels a little neglected by his mom, he doesn't really connect with his friends anymore, he gets thrown into the world and all of its responsibilities by the 'champion' of his region and his professor without asking him first, and now we've found out that he might've seen one of his Pokemon die in front of him. Now it isn't just about training this kid to win Pokemon battles. It's about being…well…" he chuckled. "I guess a big brother kinda guy."

"Mmm hmm," Sabrina said, a smile on her lips. "And I might have to brush up on my psychology skills, but I'll help you." She said. Then she glanced outside. "C'mon, let's get out there. They'll think that we've been…you know." She trailed off with a wink. Alakazam raised an eyebrow.

"_Kinky. Very unlike you, Madam Sabrina._"

With a furious blush, both man and woman sprinted outside to escape the Psychic type. Chuckling, Alakazam went back to preparing the pie.

"_Serves them right to almost kiss while I'm preparing dessert._"


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes: Adding some more Arach time, with another character who will play his own part in Nagi's life and the chaos of it. As well as providing Trodaire a punching bag. So far Trodaire and Sabrina are discovering that the knot of problems around Nagi are thorny and going to be a lovely case of 'one step forward, two back' to deal with. As I've said every chapter, the wonderful The Fighting Irishman is collaborating with me on his work, and for everything else Trodaire centered his name is under my favorite authors. Give him a read if you like this!

Disclaimer: I own the cartridges I buy from Gamestop and Walmart to play these games and that's it. Nintendo and Gamefreak have all the rights to the moneymaking part of this franchise, and I'm not making any money from this fic.

Cost of the Crown 5

Meanwhile, at roughly the same time the party was taking place, Arach was waiting on the porch of his house. Drasna was still baking so that she'd have something nice to give everyone in Saffron before they actually got there, and he'd sent Salamence to collect someone he'd heard was at the beach fishing. He couldn't fault Lance for coming to his senses and letting Salamence have its quiet retirement, and it was easy for the Pokemon to corral the person he wanted to talk to.

Plus, it was amusing as Giratina's Pits to watch.

Salamence pranced up almost like it was still young, one of its targets dangling by his collar from its mouth, the other held with extreme care with its tail tip. The Ninetails glowered at Arach, her eight tails and the stumpy remnant of her ninth flaring with malice. He'd interrupted her dinner after all, and she rarely got fish. Arach looked at the face of the trainer, letting a small and tight smile cross his face. Yes, he'd seen those eyes in a different face recently. Salamence dropped the trainer and set the Ninetails down. Rubbing his head, the trainer looked up at Arach.

"What the hells, Old Man? Is there a reason I've been dragon-napped here?" Arach tsked, looking disappointed.

"I thought you were going to go a make-up with Grace for disappearing to go undercover, Voisin?" An almost elegant shrug was the response.

"You overestimate my desire to be squished by that Rhyhorn again, Grandmaster. Besides, if she really wanted to find me I haven't exactly made my comings and goings in Kalos extreme secrets. Seems to me she doesn't really want me back that bad if she's making no effort." For a mid-30's man it was a childish response, but Arach could hear hurt feelings in the other's voice. It was amazing to see the difference between the man on the job and the man when he was being himself. Misdirection and obscurification versus straightforwardness and a refusal to hide anything that he felt. It almost made him feel bad for what he was about to do.

Key word being 'almost'.

"Well, it is hard for a single mother to up and drop everything to chase after her wayward lover." The Stantler-in-headlights look was worth it.

"Wha? Grace had a kid? Has a kid? With wh… oh fuck." The Ninetails rolled her eyes at her master's stupidity.

"Nine." (Stupid Master.) With that she flounced off to resume her on-again off-again flirtation with Arcanine. He still hadn't proved he was worth the effort to have kits with, but she hadn't found anyPoke else even close. Arach made an almost pitying noise. It was pathetic how often he had to goad some of the younger generation into behaving like reasonable adult beings, really.

"Yes, Grace has a child. Your child. Which you would have noticed if you'd paid five minutes worth of attention to the screens instead of sulking about how she hasn't noticed that you've been prancing in and out of Kalos like a Ponyta with no saddle and bridle. Now, I know I have no authority over you what-so-ever, Voisin. You have no link to Dragons, and I've mostly retired from the G-Men. That doesn't mean I don't know the exact pressure to put on you to cause you to cave like a Diglett's practice tunnels." He stepped aside as Drasna came out, flour across her nose and rolling pin in hand.

"Are we having company for dinner…" She trailed off and her eyes narrowed. Arach hurried into the house to avoid the backlash. He winced at the sound of that rolling pin connecting with flesh and terrified masculine yelps. Arach sighed, he hadn't taken the fact Drasna might still be holding onto any of her baking implements into account. He was going to have to buy her a new one since it sounded like it had lost a handle.

"RENNER VOISIN, YOU CHILDISH IDIOT! DO YOU EVER THINK?" Salamence took off for the hills, because every Dragon male and male Dragon trainer understood the truth: the female of the species is far more terrifying than the male. When they got going, it was best to get out of range and pray to Kyurem that they calmed down fast.

"YOU ARE COMING ALONG IF I HAVE TO DRAG YOU BY THE EARS YOUNG MAN! DON'T YOU DARE GIVE ME THAT POUTY LOOK, YOU AREN'T FIVE!"

From the sounds of it, that wasn't happening anytime soon.

Back in Saffron, Nagi watched Tempest play headbutt with Brock's Onix. Tempest's tail tip quivered with glee. She almost never got to play with anything that could withstand her other than Google. And Google didn't provide the satisfying sound of rocky head cracking against rocky head. She just bendy squished and giggled. Izanagi had found a spot that interested him and begun digging like a maniac, flinging dirt in direct contrast to his normal vanity. Whatever was down there must be some kind of eeveelution-nip to make him actually get dirty. Nagi looked over at the mansion, where Sabrina and Trodaire had yet to make an appearance from.

"It doesn't take that long to find a ball for the Pokemon to play with, does it?" Brock let out a chuckle.

"They're probably…" He found his vision filled with one baleful serpentine eye. Tempest gave him a look. A not nice, I will hurt you if you go any farther with that sentence look.

"Ty. Ran. Trum." For a species with no Psychic in it at all, it was amazing how those three little sounds could convey 'Shut. Up. Now.' Brock gulped.

"That is, it is a big house. The ball might be in any number of rooms, especially if Abra's been playing with it." Brock finished lamely. Tempest, satisfied that she had made sure squinty-eyes man hadn't corrupted her trainer with his bad vibes lumbered off to chase Onix again. Nagi snickered.

"Sorry about that. She thinks I'm some kind of oblivious innocent." Janine gave him a haughty look.

"What would a child like you know about what Brock might have been implying?" Nagi smiled at her.

"I'm fourteen, I've seen videos about Pokemon breeding at the Centers when the Joy's think I'm asleep and only the adults are up. Plus, I got to see about fifteen minutes of a porn flick before that Joy wised up to what that lot was giggling about in the corner and sicced her Blissey on them." Erika blushed as Janine sputtered, while Misty laughed and Brock grinned at seeing the almighty ninja get schooled by the young teen again. Nagi seemed to have a wicked sense of humor when he wanted to use it. Brock waved at Trodaire and Sabrina when they came out with Alakazam.

"Hey guys, Nagi's just proving that his little halo from Arceus is held up by a pair of Giratina horns! Score so far, Nagi 2, Janine 0!" Trodaire grinned as he held up the ball.

"Sounds amusing! We finally found this, though it looks like Izanagi doesn't need it with the way he's digging." Indeed, not much more than back legs and tail could be seen. Nagi frowned, what had that Sylveon found?

"He's normally not much of a digger, there must be something over there he really wants. I'm sorry about the damage he's wreaking on that flowerbed." Sabrina smiled a little. Alakazam chuckled.

"_It will hardly be the first time that the flowerbeds have been dug in by Pokemon for strange reasons. I sometimes think the gardeners hide things in them to encourage them to do so._" Sabrina watched Nagi bounce the ball so that Google and Vileplume could play with it. It was hard to believe that someone so young could have lost a Pokemon. From what Alakazam had said, old age was ruled out. That meant either a terrible accident or someone who had gone into a match with a premeditated plan to kill. Neither were comfortable thoughts, more so when coupled with the phrase Alakazam had picked up. The names…

Sabrina almost hit her head. Neither name was common, at least not in Kanto. She'd lay a safe bet one probably wasn't common in Kalos either. If she could look up information on either name and the person it was connected to, she might find out more about what was going on. That would be troublesome though, if Nagi caught her at it and wanted to know what was going on.

"_Indeed my Lady, but that is what you have me for. I have already proven to him that I am a nosy old Pokemon. If I 'find' the information, it is me he will rage at, not you._" Alakazam thought to her. Sabrina smiled, it was nice to have a co-conspirator.

"_And think of what lovely practice this is for when you and Master Trodaire have offspring of your own._" Alakazam sent to both of them with a wicked chuckle.

Trodaire turned a prominent shade of crimson. Grumbling something darkly, he wound up and tossed the ball as far as he could. Tempest saw it, and with the playfulness of a Growlithe went bounding off after it. Onix seemed a little disappointed that its headbutting friend was gone, and so decided to coil up like an Ekans and wait.

"_Whilst you and your friends are playing with that group of ragamuffins, I will research more about this 'Lysandre' and 'AZ.' Though to be honest, AZ doesn't even sound like a real name so I doubt I will find much on him if anything._" It disconnected the mental link, and Sabrina knew that it was off to take care of business. Misty reached onto her belt for a Poke Ball.

"You know, I bet that my little baby would like a swim in your little lake, wouldn't it Sabrina?" She asked. Sabrina paled, remembering Alakazam's warning and knowing exactly what Pokemon Misty was referring to.

"Uh…no I don't think that's a good idea." She said. Misty raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?" She demanded. Sabrina frantically thought up an excuse.

"Um, well we already have a lot of big Pokemon out here so that might be a bit much to handle." She said. Annoyed, Misty seemed to accept the ruling nevertheless. She pouted, but then returned the Poke Ball to its clip. In doing so, she accidentally unhooked another one…

There was a flash of light, and a small yellow mallard-like being stood at her feet.

"Psssssyyyyyy-ai-ai-ai-ai!" Her Psyduck said cheerfully. Or…confusedly. Or…excitedly, you know what? It was hard to tell with that thing's strangely blank facial expression. Misty immediately facepalmed.

"I thought that thing evolved?" Brock asked teasingly. He was greeted with a wooden mallet to the face.

"Don't bring that up." She hissed.

At the sight of another Psychically-imbued Pokemon, Garden and Amber gravitated over to the little duck Pokemon. Garden patted it on the head, a little smile on her face. Psyduck didn't know what this pretty thing was, but it let out a happy "Pssssyyyy!" Amber wore a small smile, but still kept a healthy distance. She was a Fire type, after all.

"Oh, brother. How are we getting that thing back in its Poke Ball?" Janine asked. Erika giggled.

"I don't think it's a problem right now! Besides, Garden and Amber seem to be treating it well." She said. Misty looked at the way Psyduck appeared almost lucid in its communication with the two Pokemon, and gave a tired sigh.

"I can't believe it. I'm losing out when it comes to Pokemon training to two other Pokemon!"

"Hey, comes with the territory." Trodaire said. "Machamp is better at demonstrating submission holds to other Pokemon than I am, so I just let him be the teacher." He said. Misty raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced.

"That's…different." She said. "For one, Machamp is actually competent. And knows what it's doing."

"Not all the time it doesn't." Sabrina said, her eyes temporarily making contact with Garden's. The Gardevoir wondered why the nice Psychic lady was looking at her like that, but then assumed it was nothing and went back to playing with Psyduck.

"Feeling better?" Arach asked, a slight bit of amusement on his face. Renner Voisin grumbled, holding the ice pack to the side of his head. Forget everything he heard about Drasna being sweet as sugar, that lady had Dragon blood in her veins.

And wielded a rolling pin like a Fighting type.

They were sitting inside the living room of Arach's Saffron cottage, Arach on a chair and Renner on the couch. Drasna had gone outside with her and Arach's two daughters, and were currently playing fetch with Arcanine and Renner's Ninetails. It was probably a good thing that Drasna was not in sight, Renner thought. After all, she was not one to be grilled by.

He groaned a little bit as he saw Arach adjust his glasses, and realized that being grilled by Arach wasn't much better.

"Yeah, a little." He admitted. "Even if I wasn't though, I couldn't say that. You'd kick me out onto the street." Arach chuckled.

"Hardly. If anything, you'd feel more comfortable out there." He said. Renner narrowed his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean, old man?" He asked. Arach ignored this flippancy, and shrugged.

"You and I both know that you're a good undercover cop. We busted some very good cases together, didn't we?" He asked. Renner grinned, momentarily lost in his thoughts about the time he and Arach had made their name in the G-Men breaking up a gambling ring, or that time they investigated into Orre, or even that time that they helped crack down on Team Rocket. "So what I'm saying is you're happier in a shiftless environment than in a committed one." Aaaand there was Arach snapping him out of his reverie. Scowling, Renner readjusted the ice pack.

"Well, yeah I guess. Why does it all have to be my fault?" He asked.

"Because, quite frankly, it /is/ all your fault." Arach said rather sternly. "Remember, we don't have to carry a child for nine months; our wives or girlfriends or whatever we call who we're with do. They're the ones that do all of the work." He frowned. "You weren't even there when she gave birth, were you?"

Renner said nothing, hanging his head in shame. Arach continued.

"Do you even know how long ago this was?" He asked. Renner shrugged.

"We were…golly, I was twenty seven and she was twenty four. That makes it…what, fourteen? Fifteen years?" He guessed.

"Fourteen, yes. The boy is fourteen." Arach said. Renner perked up.

"I-I have a son?" He asked, flabbergasted. "Well, what's his name?"

"No. You don't have the right to get that information from me." Arach said. "If you even care a fraction of as much as you're letting on, it's up to you to get that information from him. Though I wouldn't really be surprised if he wanted absolutely nothing to do with you." Arach finished sternly.

"This…this changes everything…" Renner said. Arach frowned.

"Why? Because you have a /son/? Would it not have mattered if you had a daughter?" He asked, his voice rising in anger. Renner panicked, realizing that Arach was a father of two girls himself.

"NO!" He squealed. "No, nothing like that! It's just…I didn't know that I was…father material." He finished. Arach snorted.

"Is everything working in order…down there?" He asked. Embarrassed, Renner sputtered out an affirmative. "Then you're father material. Congratulations!" Arach said, a little bit sarcastically. "Of course, I seem to have forgotten the age-old rule: 'Any moron can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a dad.'" He shook his head. "Why did you leave her, Renner?" He asked.

"Whuh-what do you mean?" Renner replied. Arach seemed mournful.

"She would have been perfect for you. I could see it the way you mentioned her those few times you talked about her, towards the end of our partnership and before my ascension into the Dragon Clan. Why leave?" He asked. Before Renner responded, he was interrupted. "I don't want that answer. It isn't relevant to me. But it /is/ relevant to someone else. Perhaps two people, in fact." He said, thinking of a certain Orrean…

"Whuh? I have two kids?" Renner sputtered. Groaning, Arach facepalmed.

"No, Renner. Nothing like that." He said. He looked at the clock. "It's about ten o'clock. It's also a lovely Friday night, which is usually the time and place I walk by a friend of mine's work establishment to make sure that no one has broken in." He got up, and put on his coat jacket. "Care to join?" He asked, though Renner knew it wasn't really a request. Mumbling a 'sure,' Renner grabbed his long coat and followed Arach out the door. After Arach made certain that his wife and kids were more than happy playing fetch with the two Fire types (and assured his beloved Arcanine that he would not be outnumbered by Estrogen for long), the Dragon Master put on his hat and led his wayward acquaintance through the streets of Saffron.

"I did a case here, not too long ago." Renner said quietly. Arach was silent, but Renner knew that the Dragon master was listening. "Yeah I, uh, heard a guy talking to another guy about how he knew there was a partnership between this loan shark and a counterfeiting operation that had moved into Saffron."

Arach made a noise, clearly interested in the story. Renner started getting more animated.

"Yeah, it was some hardcore stuff! See, the loan shark had a sizeable number of people taking money from him, mostly to pay off their debts from the Celadon Game Corner. So, it gets so bad he's starting to run out of that baseline kinda cash a business always needs on hand to balance the books, know what I'm saying? And, y'see, the guy calls his buddy the counterfeiter and says 'here's a sweet deal for ya. Back me some spare cash, and in return I'll let you keep a cut of my profits.' That shark was eating fuckin' caviar and shit, he was living the high life on this deal! Know what I mean?" He said. Arach smirked.

"What did him in?" He asked. Renner snorted.

"What do you think? Human fucking stupidity. And a shitload of greed. See, a coupla' his poor saps he's got out on loans keep drawing more and more money because they got the gambling bug BAD, and with that many counterfeit bills on the market in one place it was only a matter of time before the Game Commission figured out something smelled funny. So first the loan shark gets booked, and then he squeals on his buddies like a Spoink held to a hot-iron in the hopes of getting a reduced sentence, and whammy! Big ol' chunk of bad guys off the streets." He finished proudly.

"How'd you figure into this?" Arach asked. Renner shrugged.

"I was the guy in charge of photographing meetings between the shark and the counterfeiter, to prove a connection between the two existed. See, juries like visual proof and all that jazz. Also, I was coordinating with a couple of confidential informants who had infiltrated the shark's business and even the counterfeiter! That last one took some doing though, and I swear I got ulcers over the number of times his cover nearly got blown. So I wasn't the main dog in the police offices running the entire operation, but you bet your ass I was the field sergeant with my boots in the mud with the soldiers." He said.

Arach sighed.

"Don't you think that would've been a story you'd love to tell to your son?" He asked.

"Don't guilt trip me, Arach. Please?" He asked. Arach shrugged.

"Don't act like at least some of it isn't deserved, Renner. In fact, almost all of it is deserved." He shrugged again. "But I think you've suffered enough for now."

"For what it's worth…I'm sorry, boss." Renner said. Arach just starting laughing.

"Oh, don't think you're off the hook my old friend. You don't have to apologize to me. This was the easy part. The hard part is just around the corner…"

Renner gave him a mildly venomous look. Then he sighed, running a hand through his hair and causing it to spike up a bit.

"You know I'm not an idiot, Arach. At least not when I actually know what's going on. I'm very capable of figuring the kid's going to be mad at me. Though he's probably going to be pissed at you too." He shot a look out of the corner of his eye at Arach. "He's never known me, then you breeze in and dump me on him. You are gonna get caught in the backlash, old man." Arach raised an eyebrow.

"Perhaps, but I have the feeling most of his ire will be reserved for you. I am merely an old man trying to help him and you reconcile. You are the idiot who wandered off." Renner snorted.

"Yes, because I have the attention span of a Wooper on hallucinogenic substances when I'm not on the job and commitment issues that could probably sink the S.S. Anne a few times over. I have an ability I have enough control over to pick up the occasional interesting secret, tell Lance congratulations on being successor for me, and skills that mainly result in me getting roped into catching not just the morons but the sick ones." He sighed, shaking his head.

"You're gonna be mad at me, but let me finish before you jump down my throat. With how my life's been the last decade plus, it might have been better that I didn't know and wasn't there." He stopped and looked at Arach's narrowed eyes. "Remember when Jenke found out Giovanni has that charming little spitfire of a son, didn't someone name the poor little bastard Silver?" Arach nodded, wondering where Renner was going with this.

"Remember Jenke's bright and unauthorized idea to grab hold of the kid and try to force Giovanni to confess and turn himself in? That went real well, didn't it? The main reason no one fucks with Giovanni about that kid is he will feed idiots to that Nidoking of his to hide the bodies. If I'd known, yeah I'd've been there for the kid. But I'm not stupid enough to think someone wouldn't try to use him against me." He kicked a rock, watched it skitter.

"I'm no killer, Arach. The best I would have been able to do is pretend indifference, and that would have resulted in something similar to the current sit. After I've no doubt gotten my ass reamed for being an idiot never there father, I think I'll tell the higher ups they've got Looker to dump shit assignments on and go end up with Rhyhorn tracks down my back. Probably deserve those too." Arach shook his head, but at least it was progress. Renner wasn't the type to run away once he had an actual grasp of the situation. He dealt with it, even if it was his own mess.

Arach just wished he didn't have to bring it to Renner's attention to clean up in the first place.

Nagi had gotten a bit of a quizzical expression when Sabrina had told Misty she couldn't bring her Pokemon out, untrained ability letting a sense of 'something fishy is going on here' trickle into his brain. He got distracted however as Tempest went off after the ball, shaking his head.

"I'm going to owe you a new ball, she'll probably pop it with a tooth or spike. Izanagi what have you… Ugh!" Izanagi had finally found his prize, though what it originally had been was hard to tell with how long it had been buried down there. Maybe a dead Diglett from the smell. The Eeveelution nosed at it, and before anyone could stop him rolled in it much like an Arcanine might. Nagi sputtered in disgust.

"Izanagi! Whatever that thing is it's filthy!" Amber, snout wrinkled in disgust left Garden playing with Psyduck in order to remove the object by levitating it and leaving to rebury it elsewhere. Sabrina grabbed hold of the Sylveon before he could try and follow her.

"Misty, come help me out here. Someone needs scrubbed down after that!" When they'd gotten a good distance, Misty looked over at her.

"Okay, spill. You've never had a problem with my Pokemon before, and you've had lots of bigger ones out there at times. What gives?" Sabrina sighed, covering Izanagi's ears.

"While he was in that other form, Alakazam caught bits and pieces of things. For some reason he wasn't able to determine, Nagi has problems with Gyarados Pokemon. I know you'd like to be able to exercise your Gyarados, but if the problem is as serious as Alakazam indicates, Nagi might just have a screaming breakdown that Janine would never let him live down." Misty looked concerned.

"Alakazam doesn't get things wrong very often as far as I know. And boys at that age are pretty fragile about some things, pride especially. Losing it in front of five gym leaders and someone like Trodaire'd be a major blow to his. Thanks for preventing me from causing it. Now, as for you Cutie McStinkymon, you are definitely getting scrubbed!" Izanagi whined, annoyed that the interesting aroma he'd sacrificed his vanity for was going to be taken away so soon. He brightened up when Misty cooed at him some more, and Sabrina had to laugh. Seemed Izanagi liked being adored.

Trodaire and Brock meanwhile were watching Tempest nose the ball, trying to get it to bounce again. The Tyrantrum was hindered by her itty-bitty arms and inability to pick things up. Brock grinned at her.

"Man, I'd love to get me one. Is that her only form or is she an evolved Pokemon?" Nagi grinned cheerfully and tugged out his Pokedex. Trodaire watched as he flipped through images, before one steadied. It was much smaller, almost purely brown with a grey underbelly and lower jaw with a smaller white ruff. It had a little yellow fin on its tail and two more on top of its head. It looked cute in a 'I will get my way or whack you with my tail until I do' way. Nagi grinned at Brock's lovestruck face.

"Tyrunt, the Royal Heir Pokemon. If it doesn't get its way, it throws a fit and runs wild. It rivals Totodile for jaw power, and if Tempest is any indication it has a very hard head." Brock made interested noises, and both Erika and Janine came over.

"Got anything interesting Poison-wise?" Nagi shook his head.

"Not really, just Skrelp and Dragalge." He flipped through the 'dex again, showing them. Nagi brought up several random Pokemon that were so far native to Kalos only. Erika asked him to pause at one. The image cycled a few seconds, showing a small white doughboy looking Pokemon with a series of little yellow bumps on its head making it resemble a daisy. Its ears stuck out from its head, and its lower body trailed into a kind of stem and was green with patterns making it look kind of flowerish. It was so tiny it was actually sitting on a flower and clutching the stigma to keep from being blown off, the shades of the flower changing every few image cycles from white to yellow to orange to red and finally blue before going back to white. It was cute enough that even Janine let out a small smile.

"Is this one of your Grass types? She's so cute!" Nagi shook his head.

"Flabebe is a misleading Pokemon. She looks like she ought to be Grass or Fairy/Grass, but she's a monotype Fairy. She does learn some Grass moves, but they don't work very well." He shrugged. "They can be kind of a pain in large flower gardens since they get defensive when humans start messing with 'their' flowers. But they are cute." Trodaire grinned, it was kind of neat to see some of the Pokemon Nagi had grown up around.

"It seems so fragile." Erika said softly. "I think I might go visit Kalos to get me one. Or two. Or three…" She trailed off, a little smile on her face. Nagi nodded.

"Some of the Fairy types look pretty, but they can be pretty mischievous. I wouldn't fawn over them too much." He said. Trodaire chuckled, but then he heard a voice in his head. A Psychic voice.

"_Master Trodaire. My Lady Sabrina. Come inside immediately._"

Politely excusing himself, Trodaire raced inside the house and headed up the stairs to where Alakazam was awaiting them.

It was standing in the middle of its study, a laptop computer hovering in front of it. It looked at the duo gravely as they entered the room.

"_I have discovered at least part of what might be bothering Master Nagi._" It said. "_Admittedly, all I have been able to do is discover the identity of one of the names that was weighing on Master Nagi's mind, and did some research…I did not like what I found._" It swiveled around the computer screen to show a news article featuring a tall man with fiery hair and dark clothing.

"Wait…is that…" Sabrina trailed off.

"_That is the famed inventor Lysandre, yes. He was the one in charge of the Holo Caster project that was supposed to come into Kanto in the next few months or so. Yet, understandably, that project has been shelved indefinitely._" It scrolled through the news article, showing pictures of destruction and arrests being made. "_Lysandre, it would appear, also has a dark little secret. He was found to be the head of a terrorist organization called 'Team Flare,' and I will spare the grisly details of what they planned to do. It involved world domination, and a possible extinction of all life outside of Team Flare. Lysandre was the supposed mastermind of all of these things, according to several arrested Flare members._"

Trodaire groaned, and smacked his forehead.

"How did they not see that coming?" He asked. Sabrina and Alakazam looked at him quizzically.

"_What do you mean?_" Alakazam asked. Trodaire snorted.

"The Holo Caster project. Say the name of the product slowly. What does that sound like to you?" He asked.

Sabrina and Alakazam were silent.

"Okay, so Nagi had a run-in with this Team Flare?" Sabrina asked. "I assume that he won, because we haven't heard about Team Flare or any of their exploits, right?" She said. Alakazam sighed.

"_I fear that the mere defeat of Team Flare is not that simple. According to some of my research, I discovered that Lysandre was once a rather promising young trainer who competed alongside some very powerful young trainers. He was briefly looked at for acceptance into the Order of the Dragon, but was ultimately rejected because he instead decided to go into the world of business. I wonder if Grandmaster Arach knows about him?_" It asked. But then it got serious. "_But I digress. The most relevant information I found was that they listed Lysandre's battle roster. He owned a Gyarados._"

"Ohhh shit." Trodaire said, feeling a lump forming in his chest. Alakazam nodded gravely.

"_Yes, I fear that this abominable person Lysandre had something to do with the death of Nagi's mysterious 'Charm.' In fact, I think that it would not be a stretch to accuse him of the murder._"

"Any luck on discovering the identity of Charm?" Sabrina asked.

"_No. I perused the battle rosters of the trainers that took the Kalos Champion Battle Challenge, and there were only two trainers that passed: our friend Nagi and a young lady named Serena, which Nagi has referenced before earlier during dinner. Serena's team was fully stocked and fully public. Nagi listed his team as six Pokemon as well, though camera footage captured him only carrying five Poke balls. I believe that he was honoring the memory of Charm, but I cannot find any evidence that would suggest what this 'Charm' is._" It shook its head sadly. "_There are other things that I do not know: what was Lysandre's ultimate goal concerning Pokemon? How did he accomplish his means? How did Nagi stop him? What was this Charm, and what were the exact circumstances of its death? All questions that I feel will be revealed in time, but I fear that none of them will be revealed until Nagi decides that he is ready to discuss them._"

"Well, I know one person who will be willing to discuss one lead…" Trodaire said, pulling out his Poke Gear. He pressed a few buttons, and then held the phone up to his ear. "…Hello? Yeah, Grandmaster it's Trodaire. Good, good. His team is really coming along well. Hey, listen, I was doing some…research about a topic that I think you might have some prior knowledge on. Would you be willing to meet to discuss it?...You're at the Fight Club already? Did Conks try knocking you out?...No, but he nearly hit your guest? You have a guest?...Okay…Yeah, I'll come on down. No worries." He hung up the Poke Gear and shrugged. "Arach said he would, and that he's got someone I might wanna talk to. So, I'm gonna head down to the Fight Club. Tell the others that I'll try to be back before midnight." Sabrina nodded.

"Okay, hun." She said. "Don't miss the bonfire!" Trodaire chuckled.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." He said with a grin. But then he thought of something. "Hey, Sabrina? Do me a favor and try picking the kid's brain while I'm gone. I think he's got some Psychic potential in him. Maybe it's genetic? Either way, he seems to like you, and I think you should work on that. It might help me when I get back with whatever answers that old Dragon coot has for me." He smiled, and gave Sabrina a quick peck on the cheek. Who in turn turned that into a full-on smooch. Groaning, Alakazam rolled its eyes.

"_Children. You two are absolutely children when it comes to love._"

Sabrina, without breaking the kiss, raised her arm towards her trusted confidant and extended her middle finger.

"_Crude gestures indicate that you have trouble responding and therefore find my argument valid._" It rolled its eyes again and walked out the door. Perhaps Amber and Garden weren't so immature? And it thought it had sensed that absolute nincompoop of a Water type the red-head Misty insisted Alakazam train it in the hopes of becoming a Golduck…

"Be back soon." Sabrina said. Trodaire nodded.

Trodaire arrived at the Fight Club roughly ten minutes later, and saw that Arach was inside, quietly sipping on a cup of coffee. Trodaire opened the front door, wondering if maybe he shouldn't have let the wily old Dragon master have a spare key to the place.

"Glad you could make it, Trodaire! It's getting rather chilly outside, is it not?" Arach greeted cheerily. Trodaire took a seat next to him.

"Yeah, it kind of is." He looked around. "Didn't you say you have company?" He asked. Arach rolled his eyes.

"Ah, him. He went out to that nearby burger joint for some food. Terrible dietary habits, that Renner Voisin."

"Interesting name." Trodaire mused. Arach cocked an eyebrow.

"And yours isn't?" He asked playfully. Trodaire chuckled.

"Touché." He said.

"Now, did you say that you had something to talk to me about?" Arach asked. Trodaire took a deep breath.

"Does the name Lysandre mean anything to you?" He asked.

Arach's expression clouded. He set his coffee mug down, and took a deep breath. Trodaire noticed that he was opting to stare out the window instead of looking at him.

"Where did you hear that name?" Arach asked.

"Do you know of him?" Trodaire repeated.

"Yes. But I haven't seen him in decades." Arach admitted. "At least, not in person."

"How did you know him?" Trodaire asked.

"We went to school together." Arach said. "Both dreamed of being Dragon masters together. I was slightly lucky, seeing as how I would qualify automatically by birth, but Lysandre didn't have that luxury. He would have to work to be accepted. And he had such…passion. It even motivated me to do the best I could as well. I mean, I couldn't face myself in the mirror if I just rode on my ancestors' coattails to get into the Order of the Dragon while a supposed 'outsider' like Lysandre got in on his own merits despite putting in an exponentially larger amount of work into it than I did, no?" He asked.

"I suppose not." Trodaire said. He noticed there was a pained expression on Arach's face. "What happened to him?"

"It was when we were in our early twenties." Arach said. "I had been formally recognized as a member of the Dragon Clan, while Lysandre had opted to instead go into the world of business. He dreamed of creating a company that would help the Dragon Clan and other world leadership organizations usher in a golden age for people and Pokemon. He was always a dreamer. He was also alone. I had been dating Drasna for a few years now and would propose shortly after my ceremony, but as far as I remember Lysandre never had a significant other."

"Was he-?" Trodaire paused, unsure if this was the right thing to ask. Arach chuckled.

"No, I don't think that Lysandre had much interest in attractive members of either sex, to be honest. All he cared about was his work. A sort of celibate mad scientist, if you will. If anything, I think the euphoria he felt when he designed technological advancements took the place of that ecstasy, if you pardon my language." He said. "But then there came a split." He said.

"What happened?" Trodaire asked. Arach looked at the Orrean curiously.

"Are you much for theater, Trodaire?" Arach asked. Trodaire shrugged.

"Sabrina has dragged me to a couple of plays, yes. But other than that, not so much. Why?" He asked. Arach smiled.

"There is a particularly famous play where the main character gives a monologue on that of mankind, and he says this: 'What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty! In form, in moving, how express and admirable! In action, how like an angel! In apprehension, how like a god!'" He cleared his throat. "I see that monologue in sincerity, and that is what colors my thinking. I believe in the betterment of people and Pokemon…Lysandre would see that same speech and find it dripping in irony. And thus, he saw the flaws in others."

"Did he see his own flaws?" Trodaire asked.

"Yes, and it drove him crazy." Arach said sadly. "He would never stop ranting about how he felt imperfect. He became obsessed with beauty. Or some twisted form of it. He even severed our friendship not because of something I had done, but rather because he felt he was not worthy to be my friend. And no amount of convincing changed his mind." He sighed. "I was made aware of his terrorist group shortly before I left the G-Men, roughly a decade ago." He said.

"You were aware of this?" Trodaire asked. "And you did nothing?"

"They were deemed nothing more than rabble-rousers by the upper brass. I am just thankful that their latest romp in Kalos ended with no lost lives of the innocent." Arach said. He frowned, and looked Trodaire directly in the eye. "Make no mistake, Trodaire. Lysandre had a powerful presence about him. Even those that hated him to the very bone were shaken by the conviction with which he pursued his mania. It was enough to make them question what shouldn't logically be questioned. And if that failed, then he would simply break them psychologically. I have no doubt that he has left serious psychological scars on the psyche of young Nagi, and I think that you have made a wise decision in letting Sabrina get involved via psychological therapy." He said with a small smile. Trodaire's eyes widened.

"Wait-how did you…" He said, before Arach wiggled his eyebrows amusingly.

"It's my business to know these things, Trodaire."

Sabrina watched Nagi pick up his Sylveon after the little fellow came out of the house sputtering in annoyance at having been washed. He seemed calm and together, but Sabrina knew one of the first things any Psychic learned was that appearances were deceiving. Janine glared at Izanagi, who responded by sticking his tongue out and making a rude noise.

"So about that form earlier, you said Gardevoir does something similar. What's it look like?" Janine appeared to be genuinely curious. Nagi put Izanagi down, watching the Sylveon make off with the ball to Tempest's roaring displeasure.

"Like a fairytale princess, or a bride. One of the old references to them was the term 'Dragonslayer Bride'. Some of the myths claim they'd walk into battle against Hydregion or Salamence carrying Honedges to use as weapons." Janine raised an eyebrow, looking mildly impressed. Nagi sighed and continued.

"It wasn't without its costs for them to do so. While we can't confirm that Mega evolution may have been more common back then, Honedge is a Ghost/Steel type. It drains energy from anyone who tries to hold it, and Fairy type is weak to Steel. Over in Kalos Gardevoir is classified as Psychic/Fairy, the Mega form as pure Fairy. They might not have risked much from the Dragon, but they risked critical damage if the Honedge turned on them." Erika blinked, watching Garden who was now cuddling Psyduck like a child might cuddle a Teddiursa doll.

"It's strange, to look at something like Gardevoir and realize they might be a better choice than another Dragon or Ice type to take on Dragons. Then again, perhaps that's what keeps them safe. What isn't known can't be guarded against." Nagi nodded, smiling a little.

"Secrets are what has kept the balance of power between the nations for millennia. I think it's good that we're all starting to open up about them now, though." Sabrina raised an eyebrow.

"Really? If Kalos kept Mega evolution a secret that would give them an edge." Nagi shook his head.

"No, things like that get out unless you're willing to kill. Once you start killing about a secret, you call attention to it. Then you either have the choice of admitting it or escalating the violence. Escalating the violence gets more people's attention. At what point do you say 'Enough is enough, the price to keep this secret has become too dear'?" Garden 'voir'ed in agreement, Psyduck looking happy as it could. It might not understand much, but it understood it was being cuddled by a female, life was therefore good for it. Erika raised one of her eyebrows.

"Heavy thoughts for a child, Nagi. What makes you think that?' Nagi shrugged.

"Isn't the damage obvious? The ancient castle ruins in Unova, the Burned Tower where Ho-Oh resurrected three fallen in Johto, the Ruins of Alph? All date back roughly to the same time period. The Lavender Tower, Hallowed Tower and Celestial Tower were constructed maybe about a hundred years after the destruction of those areas. Mt. Pyre received serious expansion to its chambers and tombs at around the same time. If they were created and expanded to handle an abrupt rise in Ghost types, that points to a war of catastrophic levels. Add in the poems and songs in Kalos with the repeated theme of a King who couldn't let what happened go unanswered and unpunished, it leaves a simple picture. Who started the war, why it started I don't really know, but it spread to engulf a good portion of what we know of the world. No, it's better to share knowledge, give and be given instead of try to take it or have someone try to take it from you." Brock's eyes narrowed a little more while the rest of them processed the speech. Sabrina spotted an opening to work in what Trodaire had suggested earlier.

"Speaking of sharing knowledge, I've been thinking. Nagi, what drove you to pick Amber? Why does Garden accept you?" Startled out of his rather black mood, Nagi blinked.

"What? Amber was warm. Garden was given to me by Diantha, one of the few things she's done I don't want to wring her neck for. She said Garden suited me. Why?" Sabrina blinked, did it honestly not occur to Nagi that Psychic Pokemon usually wouldn't pick a trainer without a usable level of Psychic power? Even if it was just knowing the right words to say to calm a person they'd never met before down or knowing precisely when the odds were in their favor. Misty, who'd just come back out, frowned.

"Nagi, you do know Psychic Pokemon will pretty much ignore non-psychics, right? I mean, Psyduck listens to me, but that's because he's not very Psychic himself. You can hear them, or at least they can get through to you with their abilities, yeah?" Nagi nodded.

"Amber shows me things sometimes, and I always know what Garden's feeling. But I'm no Psychic. I can't levitate things or read minds or anything." Sabrina smiled, amusement coloring her tones.

"Psychic power isn't quite that limited, Nagi. A lot of Gamblers who're any good read the odds of a machine or game giving them what they want psychically. They aren't aware they do it, but they do. I met a young Psychic a decade or so back whose ability was entirely centered around taste. She'd pretend to have the nervous licking your lips habit to taste truth or lies or a person's intent in the air. She was lucky her ability didn't manifest at a young age or she'd probably have been kidnapped for who knows what illicit purposes. Some hear things no one else can hear, others smell things or feel things on their skin. Just because you've never demonstrated something like bending a spoon into a pretzel or teleporting on your own doesn't mean you have no ability." Nagi blinked, chewing on his lip.

"How would I know what I do, or might do? I mean, if I have anything other than 'feelings'?" He remembered he'd felt nervous and scared around Lysandre even before he knew the man ran Team Flare. It wasn't the looks, if he thought about just Lysandre's appearance the man wasn't too terrifying. Instead he was rather majestic, even if his hair and beard did make him resemble a male Pyroar. He'd felt bad for AZ, his honest first thoughts had been 'Whoa! Big Guy! He looks sad, maybe he needs a hug?' He'd felt Floette's happiness at seeing AZ let go of his pain at last. Nagi had felt that for all his scary exterior Trodaire had a warm heart. But that might be all he had, was feelings. Sabrina raised an eyebrow. 'Feelings' might indicate an empath, but it might also mean he was a very weak telepath.

"Well, meditation and relaxation exercises help get your mind cleared enough to where you can begin sorting out things. I can teach you if you want, maybe at the Fight Club while Trodaire's working with your Pokemon?" Nagi chew his lip some more, and for a few seconds Sabrina thought he might refuse.

"Okay. Somehow that seems like a better use of my time then fretting that Google will decide to play at being a puddle or Tempest will almost eat Sawk again." Sabrina let out a slow, controlled breath of relief. Step one down, steps however many to go.

"Good, we'll start tomorrow."

Trodaire had begun to wonder if Arach's 'guest' was ever going to get back. Indeed if the man existed at all. Arach's narrowed eyes suggested that he was beginning to wonder the same damned thing. And that if this Renner guy didn't get back, Arach was going to peel the hide off of him. Trodaire opened his mouth to ask Arach to elaborate on Renner some more, when there was noise outside.

"Sheesh, how hard is 'no onions, no ketchup, and the shredded cheese instead of the sliced' to understand, Scion? It shouldn't take seven freakin' burgers to get what I asked for!" There was a great deal of ire in the approaching stranger's tones. There was a low chuckling sound.

"Lade. Gallade lade gal." Was announced in response, and Arach breathed a sigh of relief and possibly anticipation. Sounded like this was Renner, and from the response he'd gotten to the whine he had a Gallade. Trodaire'd always wanted to see how the Psychic/Fighting male only Kirlia evolution worked. If this one was any good, maybe he could give Garden a few pointers.

That, and watching Machamp have a fit at the thought of competition for that little amazon was hilarious.

"Oi, Old Man, brought you back rabbit food since you made such a pointed comment about eating overcooked garbage!" Trodaire studied the man who came in. A very faint Unovan accent, darker skin with a few white scars on the hands and arms, a lanky frame that moved with a fighter's skill. Plain shirt, jeans, scuffed boots. The man's hair was reddish brown, about shoulder length and pulled into a ponytail with a black tie. The face was almost familiar somehow, sharp planes and features giving it a fox like mischief. Trodaire looked into Renner's eyes, clear and brown and almost guileless seeming until you saw the faintest of shadows in the depths of them that said there was more to it. Trodaire had heard a lot of guys look at little girls and their moms back in Orre and say the girl had her mothers eyes.

In this case, it was pretty clear Nagi had inherited his father's.


End file.
